Departments: Trade Unions

Theresa May: To ask the Leader of the House how many meetings  (a) he and  (b) his deputy held with trade union representatives in 2006.

Jack Straw: Six

M1: Tinsley

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on which days it would be possible to close the M1 at Tinsley to facilitate the demolition of the cooling towers; and for how long such a closure would be in place.

Stephen Ladyman: It is likely that if demolition of the cooling towers at Tinsley were to go ahead, that the M1 will be closed from 9 pm on a Saturday through to 6 am on a Monday, or until such time as it is safe to reopen the motorway.

Railways: Brighton

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what work has been undertaken to enhance capacity on the London to Brighton line since 1997.

Tom Harris: Since 1997 the measure to address capacity issues on the Brighton Main Line has been to introduce new rolling stock for the Southern franchise. The old slam door fleet has been fully replaced, with 24 per cent. extra trains in total with each new train having more capacity than the train it replaced.
	The next phase of capacity enhancement will be implemented as the Brighton Main Line Rail Utilisation Strategy (BML RUS). The BML RUS will make better use of the existing capacity on the Brighton Main Line. After this the next measure would be the Thameslink programme that will be decided on as part of the comprehensive spending review this year
	The High Level Output Statement (HLOS), again due to be published this year, will set out the best long-term plan to accommodate the growth on this route beyond the steps already taken and the plans already in place.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there is a backlog of maintenance for local roads.

Gillian Merron: Local authorities are responsible for the maintenance of their highways networks. Each local authority decides on appropriate service levels and standards for their own highways and what maintenance is required. The Department does not collect information centrally on the amount of work that authorities consider to be outstanding.
	The Department has encouraged all local highway authorities to produce asset management plans for their roads. These bring together inventory and condition information which, together with target condition based upon desired service levels, will inform calculations of maintenance need. We are also working with local authorities to identify best practice in highways asset management with a view to publishing best practice guidance. This will build on the UK Roads Liaison Group's three codes of practice covering street lighting, highways and bridges, published in November 2004, July 2005 and September 2005 respectively, which provide advice on efficient and effective management of the network.

Speed Limits: Gloucestershire

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fixed speed cameras are located in Gloucestershire, broken down by site and district council area.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department does not hold this information by district council area. The information is held for the area covered by the Gloucestershire Safety Camera Partnership and the site details are shown in the following list.
	 Site name:
	A4019/Tewkesbury Road (St. Peters)
	A419/Cainscross Road/(Lodgemore Lane)
	A419/Cainscross Road/(Marling School)
	A48/Highbank
	A48/Walmore Hill
	A48/Chaxhill
	A48/Minsterworth School
	A48/Alvington
	A40Huntley
	A40/Birdwood
	A4302/MetzWay
	A38/Norton
	A40/Northleach
	A4309/Bristol Road/Morelands
	A4309/Bristol Road/Permali
	A38/Finlay Road
	A38/Eastern Avenue/Ambulance Station
	A38/Eastern Avenue/TA Centre
	A38/Whitminster
	A38/Cambridge
	A48/Woolaston
	B4063/London Road
	A40/Dowdeswell
	A429/FOSS Cross
	A429/Slaughter Pike
	A4135/Dursley

Democratic Republic of Congo

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what  (a) bilateral and  (b) multilateral aid initiatives the UK is undertaking in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Hilary Benn: The UK had £67 million development assistance available to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in financial year 2006-07. Approximately half of these funds have been spent on emergency humanitarian support through the UN and non-governmental organisations, with the remainder on supporting the 2006 electoral process, improving transport links to some isolated areas, supporting police and justice reform, supplying anti-malarial bednets and basic health, education, water and sanitation services and tackling HIV/AIDS. Additionally, through the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool, we are supporting: the EU mission advising on reform of the army; the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of militia groups; and the provision of tents, water and sanitation and human rights training to soldiers in the new integrated brigades (and their families and local communities) to try to stop them preying on civilian populations to make ends meet.
	Available funds are set to increase if the country continues to make progress. We are currently finalising our post-elections strategy for the DRC. We are doing this under the umbrella of the Common Assistance Framework—a joint strategy with all DRC's other major donors. This will help ensure that donor support to the DRC is co-ordinated and so more effective. All of our programmes are developed in consultation with other donors—such as the World Bank, UN, European Commission, the United States, Belgium and Sweden, and many will be jointly implemented. For example, the programme we are developing on road rehabilitation will be implemented through the World Bank, and also financed by the European Commission. Our humanitarian support to those most in need is implemented by the UN and non-governmental organisation and funded by several donors through a "pooled fund" mechanism which allows DRC's humanitarian co-ordinator to deploy funds quickly and flexibly to wherever the need is greatest.
	Under out post-elections strategy our planned portfolio will focus on:
	1. Building an effective and accountable state—including reform of the police, army and justice sector.
	2. Enabling democratisation and accountability.
	3. Supporting the provision of basic services—health, education and infrastructure—to the population and tackling HIV/AIDS.
	4. Enabling growth by rebuilding roads and promoting better management of the DRC's natural resources.
	5. Providing immediate humanitarian assistance to those in desperate need of assistance.

Developing Countries: Debts

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what total  (a) value and  (b) proportion of debts belonging to heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) is owned by commercial creditors; and how much debt relief has been provided by commercial creditors under the HIPC initiative.

Hilary Benn: The World Bank and IMF estimate that approximately 5 per cent. of the total outstanding debt of all HIPC countries (US$63.2 billion in Net Present Value terms) was owed to commercial creditors.
	Countries that receive debt relief from multilateral organisations and bilateral (Government) creditors are required to negotiate equivalent debt relief from other creditors, including commercial banks and companies. Many commercial banks are part of the 'London Club' and offer debt relief under the HIPC framework. However, a survey of 24 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) in 2006 led the IMF and World Bank to estimate that only a limited number of commercial creditors (holding approximately 5.5 per cent. of the total commercial debts) have provided their share of HIPC debt relief directly.
	Many of the remaining commercial creditors have agreed to around 90 per cent. debt reduction as part of operations managed by the World Bank under their Debt Reduction Facility (DRF), the remaining 10 per cent. of the debt is paid for by the World Bank and donors with some contribution from HIPCs towards the costs. By mid-2006, over $4.5 billion worth of commercial debt owed by HIPCs had been eliminated in this way.
	However, some of the remaining commercial debt is bought by vulture funds. These companies wait until a country's circumstances have improved (for example after debt relief) and then press their case through the courts, seeking large settlements. We are working bilaterally and multilaterally with HIPC governments to raise awareness of this issue and encourage preventative action. DFID is co-funding a Debt Management Capacity Building programme and supports a wide range of other activities to strengthen public financial management and accountability. DFID also supports the World Bank's DRF, and we have recently agreed to provide a contribution of $3.5 million to a package that will help Nicaragua buy back over $1.3 billion worth of commercial debt.

Institute for Public Policy Research: Finance

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department provided to  (a) the IPPR and  (b) IPPR Trading Ltd. in each year since May 1997; and for what purposes.

Hilary Benn: Tables 1 and 2 contain details of DFID funding to IPPR and IPPR trading respectively since March 1997.
	
		
			  Table 1: IPPR Funding 
			  Purpose  Year  Amount (£) 
			 Sponsorship of IPPR event 'Can Global become Local' 2004-05 1,468 
			 Evening Symposium 'Putting your House in Order—promoting a more coherent international response to fragile states' 2004-05 7,892 
			 Supporting IPPR event ' Symposium on the future of the United Nations' 2004-05 7,050 
			 Funding for participation in a Working Group on Demographic Challenges in Stockholm. 2005-06 561 
			 Supporting IPPR conference 'China in Africa' 2005-06 9,023 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: IPPR Trading Limited 
			  Purpose  Year  Amount (£) 
			 Consultancy work on Analytical Framework: Poverty, Development and Global Security 2004-05 21,250 
			 Consultancy work on drafting the Security and Development Strategy 2004-05 15,863

Uganda: Overseas Aid

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he has made to the government of Uganda on the distribution of  (a) development funds and  (b) budget support to that country's regions.

Hilary Benn: The overarching framework for allocating budget resources in Uganda is the Government's own Poverty Eradication Action Plan. DFID participates in the process through which the Government of Uganda determines the distribution of budget funds which include assessments of performance and financing needs in individual sectors and an annual Public Expenditure Review in which development partners and civil society are consulted about budget plans for the next year and the medium term. Allocations to the Poverty Action Fund, through which poverty reduction expenditure is prioritised, are now nearly 40 per cent. of the Government's budget compared to about 20 per cent. at the end of the 1990s. DFID's Poverty Reduction Budget Support (PRBS) supplements the Government's own resources in the budget. Decisions about PRBS take into account the Government's commitments to poverty reduction, strengthening financial management and accountability and respecting human rights and international obligations.
	The distribution of support to the country's regions is an important part of the discussions which DFID has about performance and financing needs in individual sectors such as health, education, water and agriculture. The provision of services at district level is largely funded by the central Government. Ensuring that the criteria for allocating resources to districts take proper account of poverty is a priority for DFID. We have worked closely with the Government in different sectors to improve allocation criteria so that the distribution of funds and the provision of services better reflects needs. In recent years there has been a shift in the allocation of resources in favour of poorer districts, although there is scope for further improvement. A recent NAO study noted the contribution DFID has made to bringing about positive changes in the district budget allocation system.
	A particular focus for our discussion about support to Uganda's regions has been the situation in the North where the humanitarian consequences of conflict have created major additional needs on top of normal per capita expenditure, including the requirement for large scale food distribution. These additional needs have largely been met by the donor community. We have pressed the Government to do more. The Government responded in the 2006-07 budget by making available an extra £5.3 million (approximately) for the districts of the north affected by conflict.

Consultation Papers

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what procedures her Department is following in drafting Part I of the Creative Economy Green Paper; and when she expects the Green Paper to be published.

Shaun Woodward: Part 1 of the forthcoming Creative Economy Green Paper will set out a clear analysis of the state of the UK's creative economy, the factors that have driven its recent success and the challenges the sector faces.
	In preparing this, we will draw on the findings of seven Working Groups set up at the outset of the Creative Economy Programme, our existing evidence base and specially-commissioned research, as well as responses to an earlier online consultation and a range of industry summits and bilateral discussions.
	The work commissioned by DCMS from the Work Foundation will contribute to an economic analysis. We plan to publish later in the summer.

Consultation Papers

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what procedure her Department used in appointing the Work Foundation to write a paper on the creative economy.

Shaun Woodward: The Department appointed The Work Foundation on a single tender, taking into account several factors. Principal among these was that The Work Foundation was undertaking a major wider project on 'The Knowledge Economy', of which the creative economy is a part. This enabled the organisation to produce expert, innovative and specialised work for this consultancy drawing on their wider experience, evidence base and stature.
	The consultancy project also demands powerful leadership with the ability to help the Department engage in challenging discussion with a wide range of senior figures in the private and public sector. These additional factors also supported the appointment of The Work Foundation.

Copyright: EC Law

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what opportunity was given to stakeholders to comment on the evidence received by the Gowers Review prior to publication of the Gowers Report.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	The Gowers Review conducted a public Call for Evidence in the early stages of the Review. Over 100 respondents made their evidence publicly available prior to the publication of the Review for wider discussion. The Review also met with a wide range of stakeholders—including representatives from the creative industries and consumer groups—throughout 2006 to discuss emerging evidence.

Film

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 14 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 322-4W, on film, which other industry summits she  (a) has held and  (b) plans to hold to inform the further development of the Joint Creative Economy Programme with the Department of Trade and Industry; and whom has been invited to each.

Shaun Woodward: We have held industry summits on:
	Film
	Broadcasting
	Architecture
	Music
	Publishing
	We will hold industry summits on:
	Software
	Games
	Design
	Performing Arts
	Advertising
	Fashion.
	I am arranging for a list of those people invited to each industry summit to be placed in the House Libraries. Invitations to the Fashion Summit have not yet been issued.

Tourism

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which UK cities received the highest number of tourist visitors in each of the last 10 years.

Shaun Woodward: Table 1 shows the UK cities with the highest number of visits by overseas residents from 2000 to 2005. Due to methodological changes to the International Passenger survey in 1999, comparisons with earlier years would be misleading, and are therefore not reported.
	Table 2 shows the UK cities with the highest number of overnight visits by domestic residents for 2005-06 only, as data for previous years would involve disproportionate costs to obtain.
	Information on domestic same day visits is not available at this level of detail.
	
		
			  Table 1: Visits by overseas residents to the UK (all purposes of trip)—Top 5 towns 2000-05 
			  Top Towns/Cities  Total visits( 1)  (Thousand) 
			  2000  
			 London 13,150 
			 Edinburgh 910 
			 Manchester 560 
			 Birmingham 520 
			 Glasgow 430 
			   
			  2001  
			 London 11,450 
			 Edinburgh 850 
			 Manchester 550 
			 Birmingham 450 
			 Glasgow 400 
			   
			  2002  
			 London 11,600 
			 Edinburgh 850 
			 Birmingham 670 
			 Manchester 590 
			 Glasgow 400 
			   
			  2003  
			 London 11,700 
			 Edinburgh 770 
			 Manchester 740 
			 Birmingham 720 
			 Glasgow 420 
			   
			  2004  
			 London 13,390 
			 Edinburgh 940 
			 Manchester 770 
			 Birmingham 730 
			 Glasgow 540 
			  2005  
			 London 13,893 
			 Edinburgh 1,134 
			 Manchester 824 
			 Birmingham 728 
			 Glasgow 684 
			 (1 )Excludes Day Visits  Source:  International Passenger Survey, ONS 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Overnight visits by UK residents (all purposes of trip)—Top 5 towns May 2005-April 2006 
			  Top Towns/Cities  Total visits (Thousand) 
			 London 10,434 
			 Manchester 2,613 
			 Edinburgh 2,237 
			 Birmingham 2,075 
			 Glasgow 1,964 
			  Source:  United Kingdom Tourism Survey

Air Pollution

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what estimate the House authorities have made of the volume of  (a) carbon dioxide,  (b) methane,  (c) perfluorocarbons,  (d) nitrous oxide and  (e) carbon equivalent released by the incineration of waste from the House of Commons estate when calculating the estate's carbon footprint.

Nick Harvey: Only residual waste after recycling has taken place is sent for incineration with energy recovery. In 2006 residual waste collected from the parliamentary estate amounted to 1,299 tonnes. This material was combusted at an energy recovery facility regulated by the Environment Agency, generating 725,000 kilowatt hours of electricity. The recovered energy is classed as renewable energy by the UK Government, in line with Directive 2001/77/EC on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market.
	Recovering energy from waste is acknowledged in the stern review as an effective weapon in combating climate change, displacing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel power generation sources.
	The carbon footprint associated with the combustion of this waste is made up of a number of components:
	(1) Direct emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), expressed as carbon equivalents
	(2) "Avoided" emissions of GHG (that is, emissions displaced from an equivalent amount of fossil fuel power generating capacity)
	(3) GHG emissions (additional or saved) from waste transportation
	(4) Net GHG emissions, taking account of direct, avoided and transport-related emissions
	 Direct emissions of GHG
	GHG emissions from waste combustion are calculated in two steps. First, an estimate is made of the percentage of fossil and non-fossil carbon in the waste. Second, the emissions from the combustion of the fossil carbon within the waste are calculated. Emissions of non-fossil carbon do not contribute to global warming and are therefore not taken into account.
	Methane is not produced in combustion plants. The remaining greenhouse gases are released in trace quantities relative to emissions of carbon dioxide. Because their concentrations in the emission gases vary according to the composition of the waste, the total GHG effect expressed in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (Teq) is estimated using emission factors developed by DEFRA, based on measured emissions averaged across UK energy recovery facilities.
	Direct GHG emissions following the combustion of residual waste from parliamentary estates amounts to 415 Teq, of which 295 Teq is carbon dioxide.
	 GHG emissions from waste transportation
	A saving in GHG emissions is realized when residual waste from the parliamentary estates is combusted, since the energy recovery facility is just 12 miles from the House. Previously the waste was being transported to landfill further away from the Estate.
	The GHG emission factor developed by DEFRA for waste transportation varies between 0.37 and 0.49 kg carbon dioxide equivalents per tonne of waste transported, depending on distance travelled. For transportation of 1,299 tonnes of parliamentary estates waste, this amounts to a GHG emission of between 0.48-0.65 Teq. Since this is less than 1 per cent. of the emissions of direct or avoided emissions, the GHG saving in transporting the waste a shorter distance will be omitted when presenting net emissions.
	 Net GHG emissions
	The carbon footprint associated with the combustion of waste from the parliamentary estates is obtained by subtracting avoided emissions from direct emissions.
	This equates to a net GHG saving of 20 Teq. Therefore 20 Teq should be subtracted when determining the total carbon footprint of parliamentary estates.

Census

Andrew Slaughter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ask the Office of National Statistics to rework 2001 census data for the new parliamentary constituency areas once they are formally agreed.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 March 2007:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ask the Office for National Statistics to rework the 2001 census data for the new parliamentary areas once they are formally agreed. (128034)
	I would refer you to the answer that was supplied in the Official Report Volume 458, Number 61, Column 419.

Departments: Surveys

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1489W, on departments: surveys, if he will redact personal information and place a copy of the survey in the Library.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 1 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1489W.

Departments: Teaching Aids

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what updates to the Red Box teaching pack were made in the last six months; and how many updates to the Red Box teaching pack have been produced.

John Healey: The Red Box website has been updated and went live in early March. The printed Red Box has not been updated in the last six months. There has been two editions produced to date, in 2002 and 2005, as I said in my written answer of 18 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1557W.

Electoral Register: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which areas within Chorley borough have low electoral registration rates.

John Healey: holding answer 9 March 2007
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 March 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question regarding which areas within Chorley borough have low electoral registration rates. (126613)
	The attached table provides information, for each electoral ward in Chorley, comparing the number of people who are registered to vote as local electors with the "estimated usually resident population" aged 18 and over. The resulting percentages are labelled as 'registration rates' on the table and this term is used in the remainder of this reply. These data provide the closest available approximation to the information you requested. It is not possible to calculate the percentage of the eligible population who are registered to vote: the resident population aged 18 and over is not the same as the number of people eligible to vote.
	These 'registration rates' are not published as National Statistics: there are a number of issues that mean care needs to be taken when interpreting the data. In particular, care needs to be taken when considering areas where the usually resident population differs radically from the population eligible to vote. An example of such an area might be one containing prisons (as is the case for Lostock ward) or accommodation for a United States Air Force base, as prisoners and American citizens are not eligible to vote. These people are however included in the population estimates as they are usually resident. Therefore, the estimated 'registration rate' calculated for such areas is considerably reduced.
	Please note that the population estimates have a reference date of 30 June, and electoral data a reference date of 1 December. Attainers have been excluded from the electorate data (as they are under 18) to give the best possible comparison.
	There is also inevitably some double counting of the registered electorate (both parliamentary and local/European) as electoral registration officers vary in how quickly they remove people from the registers after they have moved away from an area or after they have died. This is one of the main reasons some areas show rates in excess of 100 per cent.
	The population data are estimates and as such are subject to a margin of confidence. The ward level population estimates are derived from estimates for a different geography that have been published with the status of experimental statistics. Therefore, the estimates, and electoral registration rates derived from them, should not be treated as being exact. The latest derived available ward estimates are for mid-2004 and therefore data are shown for this year.
	
		
			  2004: Electoral registration rates, wards in Chorley, in ascending order. 
			  Electorate Ward  December 2004  Population 18+ Mid-2004  Registration rate( 1) 
			 Lostock 3,385 4,800 71 
			 Coppull 4,971 5,100 97 
			 Chorley North East 5,035 5,200 97 
			 Brindle and Hoghton 1,735 1,800 97 
			 Chorley East 4,955 5,100 98 
			 Clayton Le Woods North 5,164 5,300 98 
			 Pennine 1,729 1,800 99 
			 Clayton Le Woods West and Cuerden 3,498 3,500 99 
			 Chorley South East 4,846 4,900 99 
			 Euxton South 3,220 3,300 99 
			 Heath Charnock and Rivington 1,779 1,800 100 
			 Astley and Buckshaw 2,752 2,800 100 
			 Clayton Le Woods and Whittle Le Woods 5,345 5,300 100 
			 Chorley South West 5,093 5,100 100 
			 Euxton North 3,560 3,500 100 
			 Eccleston and Mawdesley 4,786 4,800 100 
			 Chorley North West 4,945 4,900 100 
			 Chisnall 3,289 3,300 101 
			 Wheelton and Withnell 3,266 3,200 101 
			 Adlington and Anderton 5,526 5,400 102 
			 (1). The registered electorate expressed as a percentage of the usually resident population aged 18 and over. The electoral registration rates have been calculated using unrounded population estimates.   Source:  Office for National Statistics

Employment Level

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people of working age were  (a) in full time employment and  (b) in part time employment in each year since 1979-80;
	(2)  what the  (a) employment rate,  (b) full-time employment rate and  (c) part-time employment rate for (i) women and (ii) men was in each year since 1979-80.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 March 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking how many people of working age have been (a) in full time employment and (b) in part time employment in each year since 1979-80 and what the estimate is of the (a) employment rate, (b) full-time employment rate and (c) part-time employment rate for (i) women and (ii) men for each year since 1979-80. (124618 & 124619)
	Table 1 shows the number of people in employment (working age) and the full-time and part-time employment for people aged 16 and over by gender for each year from 1992 to 2006. A full-time and part-time split is not available for the working age population on a consistent basis.
	Table 2 shows the working age employment rates by gender for each year from 1992 to 2006. It also shows the percentages of people working both full-time and part-time based on those who are aged 16 years and over. A full-time and part-time split is not available for the working age population on a consistent basis.
	The two tables provided are for the three months ending December in each year from 1992 to 2006 and are seasonally adjusted.
	Each month the ONS publishes employment levels and rates and full-time and part-time employment in the Labour Market Statistics First Release available within the attached link (see tables 2 and 3) http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/lmsuk0207.pdf.
	Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Table 1: People in employment by gender United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand 
			   All persons  Men  Women 
			  Three months ending December each year  All( 1,2)  Full-time( 3)  Part-time( 3)  All( 1,2)  Full-time( 3)  Part-time( 3)  All( 1,2)  Full-time( 3)  Part-time( 3) 
			 1992 24,569 19,329 6,006 13,613 12,903 976 10,956 6.426 5,030 
			 1993 24,548 19,167 6.158 13.572 12,775 1,051 10,976 6,392 5.107 
			 1994 24,802 19,359 6,239 13,741 12,925 1.109 11,062 6,434 5.130 
			 1995 25.190 19,497 6.482 13.905 12.994 1,179 11,285 6,503 5,303 
			 1996 25,435 19,591 6,606 14,000 12.990 1.278 11,435 6,601 5,328 
			 1997 25,848 19,993 6.643 14.259 13,272 1,265 11,589 6,721 5,378 
			 1998 26,150 20,169 6.777 14,387 13.340 1,311 11,764 6.829 5,466 
			 1999 26.474 20,447 6,855 14,545 13.478 1,359 11,929 6,970 5,496 
			 2000 26,705 20.548 6,977 14,666 13,568 1,369 12,038 6.979 5,608 
			 2001 26,889 20,753 7.021 14,748 13,612 1,433 12,140. 7,141 5,588 
			 2002 27,173 20,904 7,170 14.913 13,653 1,573 12,261 7,251 5.597 
			 2003 27,289 20,920 7,343 14,929 13,692 1.568 12,360 7,229 5,775 
			 2004 27,588 21.268 7,329 15.103 13.806 1,640 12.485 7,462 5.689 
			 2005 27.640 21,464 7,294 15.133 13,848 1,667 12.507 7.616 5.627 
			 2006 27.832 21,544 7.492 15,260 13.938 1,723 12,572 7,605 5,770 
			 (1) Men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59. (2) Includes those who did not state whether they worked full or part-time. (3) Full and part time includes people aged 16 and over and is based on respondents' self assessment, not on hours worked.  Note: Full-time and part-time levels do not sum to the total because the total is based on the working age population whilst full-time and part-time estimates are based on those aged 16 years and over.  Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS) 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Employment rates and the percentages of people working by gender United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			   All persons  Men  Women 
			  Three months ending December each year  All( 1,2)  Full-time( 3,4)  Part-time( 3,4)  All( 1,2)  Full-time( 3,4)  Part-time( 3,4)  All( 1,2)  Full-time( 3,4)  Part-time( 3,4) 
			 1992 70.4 76 24 75.3 93 7 65.2 56 44 
			 1993 70.3 76 24 75.2 92 8 65.2 56 44 
			 1994 70.9 76 24 76.0 92 8 65.4 56 44 
			 1995 71.8 75 25 76.7 92 8 66.5 55 45 
			 1996 72.2 75 25 77.0 91 9 67.1 55 45 
			 1997 73.1 75 25 78.2 91 9 67.7 56 45 
			 1998 73.7 75 25 78.6 91 9 68.4 56 45 
			 1999 74.2 75 25 79.1 91 9 69.0 56 44 
			 2000 74.4 75 25 79.2 91 9 69.2 55 45 
			 2001 74.4 75 25 79.1 91 10 69.3 56 44 
			 2002 74.7 75 26 79.5 90 10 69.6 56 44 
			 2003 74.6 74 26 79.1 90 10 69.9 56 44 
			 2004 74.9 74 26 79.3 89 11 70.2 57 43 
			 2005 74.5 75 25 78.8 89 11 69.8 58 43 
			 2006 74.5 74 26 78.8 89 11 69.9 57 43 
			 (1) In employment as a percentage of all persons of working age which Includes men aged 16-64 and women 16-59. (2) Includes those who did not state whether they worked full or part-time. (3) Full and part time as a percentage of all in employment. (4) Full and part time includes people aged 16 and over and is based on respondents' self assessment, not on hours worked.  Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Employment Level

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the  (a) total employment rate and  (b) total full time employment rate in the (i) 10 local authority areas and (ii) 10 local authority wards in the UK with the (A) highest and (B) lowest employment rates for the latest year for which information is available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 March 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the (a) total employment rate and (b) total full time employment rate in the (i) 10 local authority areas and (ii) 10 local authority wards in the UK with the (A) highest and (B) lowest employment rates for the latest year for which information is available. (124620)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of employment for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows employment rates, for persons of working age, for the 10 local authorities, in Great Britain, with the highest employment rates and the ten authorities with the lowest rates for the 12 months ending in June 2006 from the APS. Table 1 also shows the number of persons, aged 16 and over, in full-time and part-time employment expressed as a proportion of the total number of employed persons aged 16 and over.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	Table 2, attached, shows employment rates for persons of working age for persons of working age for the ten wards, in Great Britain, with the highest employment rates and the ten wards with the lowest rates from the 2001 Census as reliable ward data is not available from the APS. For clarity, the local authority of the ward is shown. Table 2 also shows the number of persons, aged 16 to 74, in full-time and part-time employment expressed as a proportion of the total number of employed persons aged 16 to 74.
	
		
			  Table 1: Employment rates and the percentages of people working full-time and part-time in the ten highest and ten lowest local authorities; Great Britain; July 2005 to June 2006 
			  Percentage 
			   Proportion of all In employment( 1)  aged 16 and over who are 
			  Local authority  Working age( 2)  employment rate  Full-time( 3)  Part-time( 3) 
			  Ten highest
			 South Northamptonshire 91.8 71 29 
			 Blaby 89.0 73 27 
			 Cotswold 88.5 66 34 
			 West Oxfordshire 87.1 71 29 
			 Orkney Islands 86.2 65 35 
			 Surrey Heath 86.1 69 31 
			 Bromsgrove 86.1 72 28 
			 Eden 86.0 72 28 
			 Shetland Islands 86.0 72 28 
			 South Bucks 85.5 71 30 
			  Ten lowest
			 Barking and Dagenham 62.8 79 20 
			 Birmingham 62.8 74 26 
			 Islington 62.5 86 15 
			 Liverpool 61.1 80 20 
			 Merthyr Tydfil 60.9 74 26 
			 Lambeth 60.2 82 18 
			 Newham 58.6 78 22 
			 West Somerset 58.3 53 47 
			 Hackney 55.7 82 18 
			 Tower Hamlets 54.4 77 23 
			 (1) Includes those who did not state whether they worked full-time or part-time. (2) Men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59. (3) Based on respondents' self assessment not on hours worked. Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Excludes Isles of Scilly.  Source:  Annual Population Survey. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Employment rates and the percentages of people working full-time and part-time in the ten highest and ten lowest wards;  Great Britain; 2001 
			  Percentage 
			Proportion of all in employment aged 16 to 74 who are 
			  Ward( 1)  Local authority  Working age( 2,3 ) Employment rate  Full-time( 4)  Part-time( 4) 
			  Ten highest 
			 Tresco Isles of Scilly 98 85 15 
			 St. Martin's Isles of Scilly 97 75 25 
			 Walbrook City of London 97 96 4 
			 St. Agnes Isles of Scilly 92 79 21 
			 Donington and Albrighton North Bridgnorth 91 89 11 
			 Brize Norton and Shilton West Oxfordshire 90 88 12 
			 Didcot Ladygrove South Oxfordshire 89 85 15 
			 The Lower Tarrants North Dorset 89 88 12 
			 Bicester South Cherwell 89 85 15 
			 Garelochhead and Cove Argyll and Bute 89 90 10 
			  Ten lowest( 5) 
			 Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey Nottingham 33 61 39 
			 St. Andrews Central Fife 33 51 49 
			 Market Cambridge 31 76 24 
			 Heslington York 31 51 49 
			 Newnham Cambridge 30 71 29 
			 St. Nicholas Durham 29 59 41 
			 Keele Newcastle-under-Lyme 28 44 56 
			 Carfax Oxford 26 73 27 
			 Elvet Durham 22 54 46 
			 Holywell Oxford 12 60 40 
			 (1) Census Area Statistics wards. (2) Men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59. (3) Census outputs present full-time students as economically active. In this table they are included as employed. (4) Full time is defined as working over 30 hours per week. (5) These wards have a high proportion of full-time university students.  Source:  2001 Census

Government Contracts: Equal Opportunities

Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance the Office of Government Commerce has produced on making the award of public contracts conditional on the bidding private sector firms meeting equality or diversity criteria or targets.

John Healey: Social issues—such as equality and diversity considerations—can be taken into account in the procurement process where they are relevant to the subject of the particular contract. OGC published a guidance note, 'Social Issues in Purchasing', in January 2006 on the scope to include social considerations in the procurement process.
	The 'Social Issues in Purchasing' note can be found at:
	http://www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/Social_Issues_in_Purchasing.pdf

Migrant Workers

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with counterparts in the Home Office regarding recent changes to the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme.

John Healey: Treasury Ministers and officials are in regular contact with colleagues in other departments.

Office for National Statistics: Internet

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to improve the user-friendliness of the Office for National Statistics website.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated 21 March 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking, what steps are being taken to improve the user-friendliness of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website, I am replying in her absence. (127826)
	The existing ONS website is over five years old and at the time it was created it was rated as one of the best government websites. However, internet technology changes extremely quickly and we recognise that the website is now in need of updating, ONS is part-way through a project to develop a new website to meet the needs of users. The new website is being designed to be effective and easy to use, and will also need to take on board organisational changes to ONS resulting from the Statistics and Registration Bill. Rollout of the new site is due to start in 2008.
	Although our main efforts are devoted to developing the new website we are not neglecting the existing site. We have an ongoing programme of refinement to make modest improvements for users. We continue to monitor performance and to keep content topical: in particular the homepage is updated almost daily to provide easy access to the latest data and commentary.

Unemployment: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many economically inactive people of working age there were in Peterborough constituency in age groups  (a) 18 to 24 years,  (b) 25 to 50 years and  (c) 50 years or more in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 21 March 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many economically inactive people of working age there were in Peterborough constituency in age groups (a) 18 to 24 years, (b) 25 to 50 years and (c) 50 years or more in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (128200)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of inactivity from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	The attached table shows the number of economically inactive persons aged 16 to 24, 25 to 49, 50 to retirement age and for all persons of working age resident in the Peterborough constituency from the annual local area LFS for the 12-month periods ending in February from 1997 to 2004 and from the APS for the 12-month periods ending in March from 2005 to 2006. These numbers are also expressed as a percentage of the relevant population.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, they are based on very small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty. In this case, the sample sizes are not sufficient to give an accurate estimate of even the direction of the change over the period.
	
		
			  Table 1: Economic inactivity by age group for the Peterborough parliamentary constituency 
			  Thousand 
			   16 to 24  25 to 49  50 to retirement age( 1)  All persons of working age( 2) 
			  12 months ending  Level  Rate (percentage)  Level  Rate (percentage)  Level  Rate (percentage)  Level  Rate (percentage) 
			 February 1997 3 22 8 22 3 31 14 23 
			 February 1998 3 22 8 24 4 33 15 25 
			 February 1999 3 30 6 17 3 34 13 22 
			 February 2000 3 22 4 10 6 57 13 21 
			 February 2001 3 24 6 17 4 32 13 22 
			 February 2002 2 23 6 17 4 30 13 21 
			 February 2003 3 22 6 16 4 27 12 20 
			 February 2004 3 25 5 15 3 24 11 20 
			 March 2005 3 31 6 18 3 26 12 22 
			 March 2006 4 36 6 18 3 25 13 23 
			 (1) Males aged 50 to 64 and females aged 50 to 59. (2) Males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59.  Notes: 1. Estimates are subject to sampling variability. 2. Changes in the estimates overtime should be treated with caution.  Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey.

Departments: Shipping

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which merchant shipping vessels were  (a) chartered and  (b) used by his Department in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07; and what the (A) name, (B) flag and (C) type was of each vessel.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 16 February 2006,  Official Report, column 2208W, for vessels chartered up to mid-February 2006.
	The additional information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Date  Name  Type  Flag 
			 December 2005-April 2006 Sloman Commander MPP Tweendecker Antigua and Barbuda 
			 January-May 2006 Skaftafel Tweendecker Gibraltar 
			 27 February 2006 MaryM Platform Supply Vessel UK 
			 March-April 2006 Hansaland Roll On Roll Off (Roro) Bahamas 
			 March-April 2006 Zeran Roro Maltese 
			 29 March 2006 Condock 1 Heavylift Ship Dutch Antilles 
			 April-June 2006 Leliegracht Tweendecker Dutch 
			 26 April 2006 Toisa Coral Platform Supply Vessel UK 
			 31 May 2006 Laura M Platform Supply Vessel UK 
			 19 June 2006 Rebecca M Platform Supply Vessel UK 
			 July-August 2006 Thorkis MPP Tweendecker Isle of Man 
			 13 July 2006 Ormesby Cross and Kincardine Tug UK 
			 13 July 2006 Gironde Tug Malta 
			 14 August 2006 Lesley M Platform Supply Vessel UK 
			 September 2006 Kilcoe RORO Irish 
			 15 September 2006 Valiant B Tug UK 
			 22 September 2006 Stevns Icecap Tug Danish 
			 4 October 2006 Abeille Liberte Tug France 
			 November 2006 onwards Maersk Rapier Tanker UK 
			 November 2006-January 2007 CEC Faith Tweendecker Bahamas 
			 22 November 2006 Mary M Platform Supply Vessel UK 
			 10 December 2006 Lesley M Platform Supply Vessel UK 
			 19 December 2006 Vos Shelter Platform Supply Vessel Dutch 
			 January 2007 CEC Svendborg Tweendecker Bahamas 
			 4 January 2007 Vos Sympathy Platform Supply Vessel Dutch 
			 March-May 2007 Paimpol Rolo Antigua 
			 2 March 2007 Mary M Platform Supply Vessel UK 
			 9 March 2007 Carlo Magno Tug Italian

Gibraltar: Military Bases

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians are employed at the dockyard in Gibraltar.

Adam Ingram: Further to the answer I gave to my right hon. Friend on 5 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1657W, I am not able to confirm how many civilians are employed at the dockyard in Gibraltar because the facility is operated by a private company. They, and not the Ministry of Defence (MOD), employ the civilians who work there.
	The number of civilian personnel employed by the MOD in Gibraltar is listed in the following table(1), showing both core MOD staff, and locally engaged civilians as at 1 January 2007. These figures represent all civilian personnel in Gibraltar. Details for specific areas such as the dockyard are not held centrally.
	(1) All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	
		
			   Full-time equivalents( 1) 
			 Core MOD 60 
			 Locally engaged civilians 960 
			 Total 1,020 
			 (1) Full-time equivalence counts part time staff by the number of hours they work as a proportion of their full time conditioned hours.

Identification Friend Foe Systems

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether he expects the Battlefield Target Identification System to supersede the Bowman and Coalition Blue Force Situational Awareness Demonstrator;
	(2)  whether he expects the Battlefield Target Identification System to be fully inter-operable with  (a) the United States and  (b) other NATO countries;
	(3)  when he expects the Battlefield Target Identification System to come into service; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Battlefield Target Identification System (BTIS) is intended to help identify friendly forces, helping to reduce the risk of fratricide. It will complement other systems providing better situational awareness and also contributing to reduced risk of fratricide, such as Bowman and the Coalition Blue Force Situational Awareness Demonstrator, not replace them.
	The BTIS programme has not yet reached its main investment decision point and in line with our normal practice no in service date will be confirmed until that point. We fully recognise the importance of any UK combat identification system being interoperable with US and other NATO and coalition partners.

Iraq: Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Mastiff protected patrol vehicles have reached the front line troops in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 20 March 2007
	The first Mastiff vehicles were delivered to Iraq at the end of 2006 and are being used on operations.
	I am withholding details on the number of vehicles that are currently deployed as it would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our Armed Forces.

Iraq: Peace Keeping Operations

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers from Welsh regiments he expects to be included in the next roulement of troops that will be sent to Iraq in June; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: A total of 640 soldiers from the Battlegroup headquarters and three armoured infantry companies of the Second Battalion, The Royal Welsh Regiment and one infantry company of the First Battalion, the Royal Welsh Regiment will be deploying to Iraq in June as announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence in his statement on 22 February 2007,  Official Report, column 59WS.

Royal Naval Hospital Haslar

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to relocate the Royal Hospital Haslar.

Derek Twigg: None. The Royal Hospital Haslar will lose its formal military status on 31 March. However, we expect that it will continue to operate much as it does now until late 2009, with the support of military doctors and nurses, providing health care to the local community and, in very small numbers, military patients, until Portsmouth Hospitals Trust is able to relocate its clinical activity elsewhere. The hospital will then be closed.
	Military doctors and nurses will continue to maintain their skills and treat patients in the hospitals of the Portsmouth Hospital Trust and other NHS trusts which host Ministry of Defence Hospital Units (MDHU)s. Military patients will continue to receive treatment from the MDHU host trusts and other parts of the NHS.

Children: Day Care

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the availability of childcare to parents of children aged between 11 and 16 years old, with particular reference to during school holidays.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	This information is not collected centrally. From April 2007 all English local authorities will have a duty to carry out an assessment of the sufficiency of childcare in their area. This will involve a detailed assessment of the demand for, and supply of, childcare in their area, including holiday provision for children aged 11 to 14 (and up to 18 if disabled). This will enable local authorities to plan how to secure sufficient childcare and establish the services parents and children need.

Children: Maintenance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on progress towards the Government's target to reduce the time taken to process child maintenance applications.

James Plaskitt: The matter of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the right hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 21 March 2007:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, about the Government's target to reduce the time taken to process child maintenance applications. (125852)
	The Child Support Agency has been set six targets by the Secretary of State for 2006/07, which were published in the Agency's Business Plan, a copy of which is available on the House of Commons Library, or on the internet via the following link: www.csa.gov.uk/pdf/englsih/reports/plan0607.pdf.
	Two of these targets relate to the processing and clearing of applications received since the new scheme was introduced in March 2003.
	The first concerns the volume of applications being cleared and states that: by 31 March 2007, the Agency will have reduced the volume of uncleared new scheme applications by 25 per cent. of the amount outstanding by the end of March 2006. The second concerns the speed with which new applications should be processed and states that: by 31 March 2007, the Agency will clear 55 per cent. of the new applications within 12 weeks of receipt and 80 per cent. within 26 weeks.
	The Agency's latest performance against these targets was published in table 2.1 and table 3 of the December 2006 Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary Statistics, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library, or on the internet via the following link: www.dwp.gov/asd/asd1/child_support/csa_quarterly_dec06.asp.

Income Support: Lone Parents

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of lone parents whose youngest child is over 11 are receiving income support; and how many and what proportion are  (a) carers for a disabled child and  (b) have a disability themselves.

Jim Murphy: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Lone parents with youngest child over 11 
			   Number  Percentage 
			 Claiming income support 108,950 19.1 
			 Caring for a disabled child 105,000 25.1 
			 Report disability themselves 160,000 28.1 
			  Notes: 1. The number of income support lone parents is reported using DWP administrative data. 2. Lone parent population data is taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) 2006 Q2—it indicates there were 570,000 lone parents with a youngest child aged over 11. In total there were 1.78 million lone parents. 3. The second quarter of 2006 covers April to June, while the administrative data are taken from August 2006. These figures are not directly comparable. The figure indicating the estimated proportion lone parents claiming income support should be considered as indicative only. 4. Information concerning the number of lone parents with a disabled child is reported using the Family and Children's Study 2004 and includes working and non-working lone parents with a disabled child. Population estimates have been produced by grossing up from a sample of 7000 families, so there will be a margin of error around these estimates and they should be treated with caution. 5. The number and proportion of lone parents with a disability is taken from the LFS 2006 Q2. This includes those who self-report as DDA or work-limiting disabled, or both.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether mechanisms are in place for jobseekers to recommence their benefits after ceasing short-term employment without having to sign on again in person; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: There is no mechanism in place for jobseekers to recommence their jobseeker's allowance claim without having to register in person.
	To ensure people are able to reinstate their benefit claim quickly after a short break, Jobcentre Plus fast-track people through what is known as a rapid re-claim process. This is used for people who are returning to benefit within 12 weeks and whose circumstances (in relation to the claim) are unchanged. Rapid Reclaim supports the incentive to take up employment, including short-term periods of full-time work, by allowing the completion of a shortened claim form. To be able to move quickly back into benefit also eases the concerns felt about reclaiming benefits if the work suddenly comes to an end.
	While rapid re-claim still requires a face-to-face contact—needed to put in place things such as the jobseeker's agreement, which is a legal requirement—the process is much streamlined and involves a shorter interview and much reduced paperwork. Interviews are typically undertaken with 48 hours and people being required to confirm their circumstances remain as previously stated in writing.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people reported benefit thefts via the Department's benefit theft website in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of benefit thefts reported to the DWP Targeting Benefit Thieves website between January 2006 and December 2006 
			   Number 
			 January 1759 
			 February 2302 
			 March 2506 
			 April 2481 
			 May 3574 
			 June 2869 
			 July 2591 
			 August 2962 
			 September 2478 
			 October 3670 
			 November 3334 
			 December 2284 
			  Note: Figures include both benefit and instrument of payment cases.  Source: Fraud Information by Sector

Social Security Benefits: Telephone Services

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff were employed to answer benefit theft hotline calls in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Staff employed to answer national benefit fraud hotline calls 
			  Month  Total full-time equivalants 
			  2006  
			 February 43.45 
			 March 37.78 
			 April 40.47 
			 May 39.79 
			 June 42.27 
			 July 52.20 
			 August 51.96 
			 September 45.87 
			 October 46.83 
			 November 62.92 
			 December 66.68 
			  2007  
			 January 65.01 
			  Source: National Benefit Fraud Hotline

Written Questions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to answer question 111479, on the quality of new deal programmes, tabled by the hon. Member for Fareham on 23 January 2007.

Jim Murphy: I replied to the hon. Member on 5 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1733W.

Construction: Research

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the percentage of the construction industry's total value which was represented by research and development spending in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The DTI does not collect estimates of the percentage of the construction industry's total value represented by research and development (R and D) spending. However, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) collects statistics which are indicative of formal Business Enterprise R and D (BERD) as follows:
	
		
			  ONS BERD 
			   Construction contracting—R and D as percentage of gross value added 
			 2001 0.06 
			 2002 0.06 
			 2003 0.05 
			 2004 (1)— 
			 2005 0.05 
			 (1) BERD data for 2004 is withheld to avoid disclosure of figures in which the returns of individual businesses could be identified.  Source: ONS - Research and Development in UK Businesses (MA14) 
		
	
	Although the Government's aim is to raise the level of research and innovation across the UK economy, it is difficult to capture innovation in project based activities such as construction. The Department's innovation survey shows that 44 per cent. of construction enterprises were involved in some form of innovation activity between 2002 and 2004. The sector's main contractors and specialist engineering innovation activity is largely of a site-based problem-solving form, although some also undertake formal research and development.

Data Protection: Costs

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the  (a) one-off and  (b) recurring cost of implementing the Data Protection Act to (i) businesses and (ii) the regulators.

Vera Baird: I have been asked to reply.
	The regulatory impact assessment for directive 95/46/EC (the data protection directive) includes a compliance cost assessment, a copy of which is available in the Libraries of both Houses.
	This assessment lists the total start-up costs of the legislation as £836 million and £630 million in recurring annual costs. There was no assessment of the potential costs to regulators.
	In December 2006 the DCA published a report on its participation in the cross government administrative burdens measurement exercise, which was intended to measure the administrative costs to businesses, charities and the voluntary sector of complying with government regulation. This measured the costs to business of complying with the Data Protection Act and associated secondary legislation as £55.9 million in recurring annual administrative costs. However, it should be noted that due to the methodology used during this exercise this figure should be regarded as indicative and not statistically robust.
	The full report can be accessed at:
	http://www.dca.gov.uk/pubs/reports/abr_mexrc_rep.pdf.

Departments: Complaints

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints were received by his Department and its executive agencies in  (a) 1997-98,  (b) 2001-02 and  (c) 2005-06; and how many have been received in 2006-07 to date.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The central Department (also covering the Small Business Service) does not collate figures on complaints. Figures for the Department's other agencies are as follows:
	
		
			 Patent Office  
			   NWML( 1)  Insolvency service  Formal  Informal  Companies House 
			 1997-98 1 927 20 94 (2)— 
			 2001-02 3 595 27 33 29,008 
			 2005-06 0 428 10 19 34,804 
			 2006-07 5 331 31 (3)100 31,875 
			 (1) National Weights and Measures Laboratory  (2) Figures for 1997-98 are not available due to a change in computer software  (3) A high number of these complaints were about the same subject

East of England Tourist Board: Grants

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what key performance indicators have been agreed between the East of England Development Agency and the East of England Tourist Board in respect of the grant of £1 million in the  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 financial year.

Margaret Hodge: As part of the business plan for tourism, under which the East of England Tourist Board (EET) is tasked with delivering tourism marketing and promotion for the Elm investment, the following key performance indicators were agreed:
	Secure at least 10 per cent. private sector cash match-funding and at least 10 per cent. benefit-in-kind for all marketing and PR campaigns.
	Achieve a return on investment of 4:1 for all domestic campaigns.
	Achieve a return on investment of 25:1 for international campaigns.
	Evaluate all PR activity to show where the activity was placed, what message was received and how it was received and what the opportunities of exposure to the message were.
	This return is then measured through capturing information from the visitors via research (online and at the area/destination and via the industry) as their reasons for visiting and the spend per head.
	These key performance indicators are valid for the lifetime of the agreement between EEDA and EET which is until March 2008.

Government Contracts: Equality

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance his Department, its agencies or sponsored public bodies produced on making the award of public contracts conditional on the bidding private sector firms meeting equality or diversity criteria or targets.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department of Trade and Industry has recently reviewed its procurement procedures as part of its work to implement the public sector Duties to promote equality of opportunity for race, (imposed by the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000)), and disability, (imposed by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended by the Disability Discrimination Act 2000)).
	The Department's invitation to tender documents now contain information alerting potential contractors to the need to demonstrate an understanding and application of the Disability and Race Duties in the services they provide or are seeking to provide. This information makes it clear that while contractors are not subject to these public sector Duties in an individual capacity, DTI's legal obligations extend to those organisation with whom they contract with. In addition, the Department also now requires its top 50 existing suppliers to, if requested, provide management information to demonstrate their compliance with the Duties. The Department, in its revised standard terms of contract, has the right to terminate a contract for non-compliance with the Duties. These provisions, specific to the Duties, complement the Department's pre-existing anti-discrimination best practice and contractual requirements.
	The Department's procurement guidance and documentation is available on the internet for agencies and sponsored bodies to access and apply at their discretion.
	The Department does not hold central records of the guidance issued by its sponsored public bodies in this area.
	I have asked the chief executives of the executive agencies to respond directly to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Tim Moss, dated 21 March 2007:
	I am responding to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on behalf of Companies House, which is an Executive Agency of the DTI.
	Companies House is not a contracting authority in its own right. All of our tenders are issued on behalf of the Secretary of State for the DTI, and as such we do not have our own bespoke invitation to tender documentation but instead utilise the DTI full procurement document set which they provide. These recently updated terms reinforce their, and therefore Companies House's stance on diversity and equality issues in respect of third party suppliers.
	 Letter from Ron Marchant CB, dated 21 March 2007:
	Please see the following, from the Patent Office, in response to your recent parliamentary question.
	Written PQ 2006/1636: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what guidance his Department, its agencies or sponsored public bodies produced on making the award of public contracts conditional on the bidding private sector firms meeting equality or diversity criteria or targets. 128666 Round Robin
	The Patent Office, as an Executive Agency of DTI, adopt similar procedures to that of its parent department, using invitation to tender documentation that request private sector firms to demonstrate compliance with equality or diversity issues. Further, the Patent Office let contracts that are governed by DTI standard terms and conditions of business that address compliance with the Duties, and ensure that evaluation criteria for contract award decisions also address equality or diversity issues.
	 Letter from Graham Horne, dated 21 March 2007:
	The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply to you directly on behalf of The Insolvency Service in respect of your question (2006/1636) asking about its guidance on making the award of its contracts conditional on the bidding private sector firms meeting equality or diversity criteria or targets.
	I can confirm that The Insolvency Service follows the procurement procedures and guidance set down by its parent department, the Department of Trade and Industry, who are responding separately to your question.
	 Letter from Dr. Jeff Llewellyn, CE, dated 21 March 2007:
	The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) to your question regarding the guidance his Department, its agencies or sponsored public bodies produce on making the award of public contracts conditional on the bidding private sector firms meeting equality or diversity criteria or targets.
	The National Weights & Measures Laboratory (NWML) uses the same guidance and documentation as the Department of Trade and Industry. Details of the guidance and documentation were set out in the answer to written PQ2006/1636 provided to you recently by the Department of Trade & Industry.

Manufacturing: East Sussex

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to encourage  (a) research and development,  (b) manufacturing and  (c) international investment in (i) Eastbourne and (ii) East Sussex.

Margaret Hodge: The DTI provides support to encourage research and development, manufacturing and international investment in Eastbourne and East Sussex through a range of national and regional programmes and initiatives:
	The Government have introduced and improved the R and D tax credit to enable companies in all regions to carry out research and development (R and D) projects, the credit is presently worth £600 million per year in government support. In 2006-07 we are providing £3.3 billion to support UK science which includes £2.3 million to the Technology Programme which is to support the UK research base and £430 million to the Technology Programme which is 600 collaborative R and D projects across 40 technology areas, enabling manufacturers to capitalise on key technologies.
	Regionally, three programmes are managed by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) on behalf of the Department. These are the Grant for Research and Development, Selective Finance for Investment and the Manufacturing Advisory Service.
	In addition, SEEDA provides advice and information via the Business Link network as well as support through programmes such as the Innovation Advisory Service and Enterprise Hub Programme, among others. SEEDA also manages regional delivery of the national inward investment promotion framework which is operated by UK Trade and Investment. The framework seeks to encourage foreign direct investors as well as working directly with relevant partners in the region to encourage appropriate international investment—including into East Sussex.

Space Technology: European Union

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the Government have contributed to the EU space programme site in French Guyana since its inception.

Malcolm Wicks: The UK Government have contributed €140.9 million to the European Space Agency (ESA)—not EU—programme supporting the site in French Guiana since 1976 when the programme started.

Apprentices

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many learners  (a) started and  (b) successfully completed the framework for (i) apprenticeships and (ii) advanced apprenticeships in each year between 1997 and 2006.

Phil Hope: holding answer 14 March 2007
	Figures for learners starting and achieving apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeships can be derived from the work based learning (WBL) individualised learner record (ILR). The WBL ILR was collated for the first time in 2002-03 and figures are presented from that time.
	The following table shows the number of starters and achievers for apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeships 2002-03 to 2005-06.
	
		
			   Advanced apprenticeship  Apprenticeship 
			   Number of starters  Number of achievers  Number of starters  Number of achievers 
			 2002-03 48,410 25,250 119,210 38,180 
			 2003-04 56,960 23,820 136,600 45,540 
			 2004-05 51,050 25,950 132,220 61,190 
			 2005-06 52,130 32,990 122,850 77,180 
			  Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10 learners. 
		
	
	The number of learners who started an apprenticeship and the number of achievers in each year are mutually exclusive. This combination of figures is not used to calculate performance information for WBL.

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how long it took on average to produce a section 7 case in respect of Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service proceedings in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) each of the preceding five years;
	(2)  whether he expects any reduction in the number of Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service self-employed contractors in 2006-07;
	(3)  how many vacancies there are for  (a) private law and  (b) public law in each of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service regions.

Parmjit Dhanda: These are matters for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS). Anthony Douglas, the Chief Executive, has written to my hon. Friend with this information and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Anthony Douglas, dated 20 March 2007:
	I am writing to you in response to the three Parliamentary Questions that you tabled recently:
	126086—To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how long it took on average to produce a section 7 case in respect of Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service proceedings in (a) 2006-07 and (b) each of the preceding five years.
	CAFCASS does not collect information on the duration of cases and has not done so since it was established in 2001. For the last 3 years, CAFCASS have operated to a guideline that a section 7 report will take on average 25 hours to produce. We operate to a standard of 12 weeks in which to file all private law reports. However, local filing agreements are made between CAFCASS teams and their Courts, and these agreements fluctuate from month to month and case to case. The way the 25 hours work will be distributed across the filing period will also vary from case to case. Urgent cases are always dealt with first.
	CAFCASS currently has 72 teams and at 31 January 2007, 30.6% of teams filed their report within 12 weeks. 25% of teams filed within 14 weeks. 43.1% of teams filed within 16 weeks, and 1.3% (1 team) had a filing time of over 16 weeks. This figure varies with demand, for public law cases and other types of reports ordered to be produced by CAFCASS as well as section 7 cases.
	126087—To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether he anticipates any reduction in the number of Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service self-employed contractors in 2006-07.
	CAFCASS expects that the total number of self-employed contractors for 2006-07 will be 400, a reduction of 37 on 2005-06. Exact figures will not be available until after 31 March 2007, the date which marks the end of the financial year.
	126089—To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many vacancies there are for (a) private law and (b) public law in each of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service regions.
	The table below indicates the vacancies as at 31st January 2007. CAFCASS does not categorise practitioners into private and public law.
	
		
			  Region  Vacancies (whole time equivalents) 
			 East Midlands 1.5 
			 Eastern 9.4 
			 Greater London 0 
			 North East 1.85 
			 North West 7.3 
			 South East 1.73 
			 South West 2.5 
			 Southern 4.0 
			 West Midlands 4.0 
			 Yorkshire & Humberside 6.0 
		
	
	A copy of this reply will be placed in the House Library.

Children's Centres

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential effect of increased competition for child care places following the increase of Sure Start children centres.

Beverley Hughes: Our 10 Year Childcare Strategy has highlighted the need for further Government support to increase the child care options open to parents especially in rural or disadvantaged areas. Since April 2005, our emphasis has been on local authorities sustaining existing good quality child care places rather than creating new ones. While Sure Start Children's Centres in the most disadvantaged areas must offer integrated early learning and day care provision as part of their core services, we have never intended centres to set up in competition with good existing provision. Local authorities must consult private, voluntary and independent providers when planning their children's centres strategy and, by working in partnership with them, plan to make the best use of the experience and expertise of local providers.
	The Together for Children consortium, appointed by DfES to support local authorities with their ongoing delivery of Sure Start Children's Centres, are challenging them to maximise their use of private, voluntary and community sector organisations in delivering children's centre services.

Departmental Statistics

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much his Department spent on statistics relating to the work of his Department in each of the last five years.

Alan Johnson: There is no definition of the term "statistics relating to the work of the Department" and no centrally held information on either the volume or costs of statistics published each year on this basis.
	Estimates for the annual costs of National Statistics are contained the relevant National Statistics annual report and accounts, which are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/product.asp?vlnk=1051 .
	The last year that there were produced was 2004-05.

English Language: Fees and Charges

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions he has had on the use of certified pay slips as proof of low pay in order to meet the fee remission requirements for English for speakers of other languages courses.

Phil Hope: Bill Rammell, the Minister responsible for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), has held initial discussions on the use of pay slips and a raft of other evidence with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). This is ongoing dialogue and is dependant upon the final report of the Race Equality Impact Assessment. Following its publication, the funding mechanisms for colleges and providers will be clarified by the LSC through further guidance.

Overseas Students: English Language

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with the Learning and Skills Council on the extension of self declaration as a means of verifying students' eligibility for English for speakers of other languages courses; and what mechanism is in place to ensure that colleges receive funding for such students.

Phil Hope: Bill Rammell, the Minister responsible for English for Speakers of other languages (ESOL), has held initial discussions on eligibility criteria and a raft of other evidence with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). This is ongoing dialogue and is dependant upon the final report of the Race Equality Impact Assessment. Following its publication, the funding mechanisms for colleges and providers will be clarified by the LSC through further guidance.

Schools: Finance

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the overall balance of the schools budget is in each local education authority in England.

Jim Knight: holding answer 20 March 2007
	In my written ministerial statement of 15 March I announced the publication by the Department of a summary of the data on school balances for the financial years for which information is available—1999-2000 to 2005-06. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. The information is also available on the Department's website at:
	www.dfes.gov.uk/localauthorities/section52/subPage.cfm?action=section52.default&ID=58

Workers Educational Association

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many courses were run by the Workers Educational Association in its southern region in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2006.

Phil Hope: holding answer 15 March 2007
	The Workers Educational Association (WEA) is a specialised designated institution and has a single national contract to deliver further education, through the London Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The Department is not able to provide information on all the courses run by the WEA. However, the following table provides information on LSC funded learners on WEA courses for 2005/06 (the latest year for which we have complete data). Information for 1997 is estimated from the Further Education Funding Council who were responsible for further education funding prior to the LSC.
	
		
			  Southern region (LSC south-west and LSC south-east) 
			   Number of funded learners 
			 1997 2,609 
			 2005-06 18,570

Agricultural Wages Board

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he had with  (a) the chairman and members of the Agricultural Wages Board and  (b) other bodies and persons on his Department's proposal for a regulatory reform order in respect of the board before making the decision to abandon the proposal.

Barry Gardiner: My noble Friend the Lord Whitty, when he was Minister of State, met the chairman and other independent members of the Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales on a number of occasions to discuss the future operation of the board. He also met the National Farmers' Union and the Transport and General Workers' Union. The possible introduction of a regulatory reform order to modernise the legislative framework was discussed at these meetings.

Agriculture: Cumbria

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Single Farm Payment Scheme claims  (a) have been adjusted and  (b) are under review in Cumbria.

Barry Gardiner: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 22 February 2007,  Official Report, column 59WS. Detailed analysis of payments made under the 2005 Single Payment Scheme is not yet available.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Single Payment Scheme claims  (a) have been adjusted and  (b) are under review.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 8 March 2007
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 22 February 2007,  Official Report, column 59WS.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account he plans to take of evidence obtained from badger culling operations at Steeple Leaze, Dorset and Thornbury, Gloucestershire in the future development of a bovine TB strategy.

Ben Bradshaw: We are taking into account all the available evidence in considering a way forward on badger culling, including the badger culling operations at Steeple Leaze, Dorset and Thornbury, Gloucestershire. However, there were no scientific controls set up at the time of these operations. The Krebs' review pointed out that the scientific merit of the results was limited because controls allow us to reduce the impact of possible confounding factors on the results observed. In the absence of scientific controls, it is not possible to distinguish the contribution of such factors from the effects of badger removal.
	However, the review also suggested that both a before and after comparison, and a comparison with incidence in geographically close areas where no contemporary systematic removal of badgers occurred, provide useful information about the effect of culling.
	A complete assessment of previous tuberculosis (TB) control strategies can be found in the 1997 'Report on Bovine Tuberculosis in Cattle and Badgers' by Professor John Krebs and the Independent Scientific Review Group, which is available in the House Library.

Cattle: Transport

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many live calves were transported across Great Britain in 2006 and January 2007 in the course of being exported from the Republic of Ireland to the continent; how many of those calves were unloaded at a staging point or control post in Great Britain and given food, liquid and at least 24 hours rest; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps he takes to ensure that live calves that are transported from the Republic of Ireland via Larne and Great Britain to the continent are unloaded at a control post in Great Britain and given food, liquid and at least 24 hours rest; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The export health papers and journey logs are issued by the Republic of Ireland authorities so this information is not readily available. It may be possible to provide some information on the number of cattle which have transited the United Kingdom from Ireland via the TRACES (TRAde Control and Expert System) database. This is not currently functional, but I will write to my hon. Friend when information becomes available.
	It is the responsibility of the Republic of Ireland authorities to check that transporters factor in any required rest stops into their planned journeys when approving journey logs for journeys starting in Ireland. Staff at Dover have a target of checking at least 30 per cent. of cattle leaving the country for slaughter or fattening. Any Irish cattle inspected and found not to have complied with the journey and rest time requirements will be returned to a control post to take a minimum 24 hour rest before continuing their journey.

Departments: Air Pollution

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate has been made of the carbon footprint of his Department.

Ian Pearson: Carbon emissions from the DEFRA estate and its business travel over the last five years is given in the following table where data are available.
	
		
			  Total carbon emissions 
			  Tonnes 
			   Buildings  Business travel  Total 
			 2001-02 12,063 (1)— 12,063 
			 2002-03 12,033 (2)6,072 18,105 
			 2003-04 11,888 (2)5,403 17,291 
			 2004-05 11,732 (2)5,750 17,482 
			 2005-06 12,548 (3)7,445 19,993 
			 (1. )Not known (2 )Carbon emissions from road vehicles (3 )Carbon emissions from road vehicles and air travel Buildings 
		
	
	 Buildings
	There has been a temporary increase in the size of the DEFRA estate while refurbishment works have been undertaken. DEFRA is seeking to reduce the size of its estate, and is working with the Carbon Trust to implement a Carbon Management Programme which will maximise energy efficiency and carbon saving.
	The Department is working with the Carbon Trust to develop a carbon footprint label for each building on the DEFRA estate.
	 Business Travel
	Reporting mechanisms to capture carbon emissions from all forms of business travel (road, air and rail) will be available for financial year 2006-07.
	The Department offsets Air Travel (from April 2005), Rail Travel (from June 2006) and will offset vehicle travel from June (2007).
	 Carbon Footprint Reporting
	It is the Department's intention to publish its Carbon Footprint later this year.

Farmers: Income

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of changes in the average income of farmers in each sector of the farming industry in each of the last five years.

Barry Gardiner: The average net farm income for all types of farms in the United Kingdom is expected to be around £20,600 in 2006-07, about 20 per cent. higher than 2005-06 in real terms. Incomes are forecast to have doubled for cereals and general cropping farms due to better prices for crops, while lowland livestock farms and mixed farms also benefited from improved prices. Specialist poultry, specialist pigs and dairy farm incomes are expected to fall, as are incomes for less favoured area (LFA) grazing livestock farms. Figures for the net farm income by type of farm in each of the last five years are shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Average net farm income per farm (£/farm) at current prices 
			  Farm type  2002-03( 1)  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  Annual percentage change 2006-07/2005-06 
			 Cereals 11,000 33,500 13,600 12,700 27,900 119.7 
			 General cropping 11,700 50,800 26,400 22,500 49,300 119.1 
			 Dairy 14,200 21,100 23,700 24,500 19,700 -19.6 
			 Grazing livestock (lowland) 6,700 7,100 5,300 4,100 7,700 87.8 
			 Grazing livestock (LFA) 13,000 14,300 13,000 9,300 9,300 0.0 
			 Specialist pigs 23,500 32,100 25,100 29,000 24,500 -15.5 
			 Specialist poultry 83,500 49,900 89,700 97,500 77,200 -20.8 
			 Mixed 10,400 22,600 14,800 15,600 20,800 33.3 
			 All types (including horticulture) 13,700 23,900 17,900 17,100 21,300 24.6 
			 (1) Net farm income accounting years end on average in February  Source: Farm Business Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Average net farm income per farm (£/farm) in real terms at 2005-06 prices 
			  Farm type  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  Annual percentage change 2006-07/2005-06 
			 Cereals 12,000 35,500 14,000 12,700 27,000 112.6 
			 General cropping 12,700 53,800 27,100 22,500 47,700 112.0 
			 Dairy 15,500 22,300 24,300 24,500 19,100 -22.0 
			 Grazing livestock (lowland) 7,300 7,500 5,400 4,100 7,500 82.9 
			 Grazing livestock (LFA) 14,200 15,100 13,400 9,300 9,000 -3.2 
			 Specialist pigs 25,600 34,000 25,800 29,000 23,700 -18.3 
			 Specialist poultry 90,900 52,800 92,100 97,500 74,700 -23.4 
			 Mixed 11,300 23,900 15,200 15,600 20,100 28.8 
			 All types (including horticulture) 14,900 25,300 18,400 17,100 20,600 20.5 
			  Source: Farm Business Survey

Fly Tipping

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the total cost of fly tipping to landowners in each region; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 19 March 2007
	DEFRA does not hold data on the clear up costs of fly-tipping to private landowners by region, and no estimate has been made.
	Currently, Flycapture, the national fly-tipping database, set up by DEFRA, the Environment Agency and the Local Government Association, collects data on the incidents dealt with and investigated by local authorities and the Environment Agency.
	The cost of clearing illegally dumped waste reported by local authorities between April 2004 and March 2005 was over £44 million. For the period between April 2005 and March 2006, the cost was almost £50 million.
	However, it is estimated that the costs of clearing fly-tipping on private land could increase the 2005-2006 clearance costs to over £100 million.

Fly Tipping

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will bring forward proposals to compensate landowners for costs they incur in disposing of fly tipped material; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 19 March 2007
	The Government have been working closely with the Environment Agency (EA) and local authorities (LAs) to bring forward a number of policies and measures that are aimed at preventing fly-tipping happening in the first place, and to ensure more effective enforcement. For example, the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 contains several measures that are designed to enhance the powers and capability of LAs and the EA to tackle fly-tipping.
	One of these measures involved giving courts the power to make an order against anyone convicted of the main offence of illegal waste disposal to pay for costs incurred by a landowner in removing waste that has been illegally deposited.
	In many cases, LAs will often work with landowners to deal with repeated incidents of fly-tipping and to tackle specific problems or issues. I am also aware of the good work being done by the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group, which has been working closely with organisations like the National Farmers Union, the Country Land and Business Association, Network Rail and the National Trust. The Group has recently produced guidance to landowners on how to deal with fly-tipping and gives tips and ideas for ways in which joint working can help tackle hot-spot areas.

Fly Tipping

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the cost of fly tipping to landowners; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 19 March 2007
	Some representations have been received by the Department on this issue.
	At a national level, the Environment Agency (EA) and DEFRA meet quarterly with major interested organisations including the National Farmers Union, the Country Land and Business Association, Network Rail and the National Trust through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group. The Group's objective is to generally explore ways of improving the system of controls on fly-tipping and to identify better ways of preventing and tackling the problem.
	The Group has issued guidance to landowners on how to deal with fly-tipping and also discusses ways in which joint working can help tackle the hot-spot areas where repeated fly-tipping is taking place. This can often be tackled by co-ordinated action from the landowner and the local authority or EA.

Livestock

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what change there has been in the number of  (a) cattle,  (b) pigs and  (c) sheep reared on farms in England since the introduction of the single farm payment.

Barry Gardiner: The number of cattle, pigs and sheep in England at June each year is shown in the following table. This information can be found on the DEFRA website at:
	http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/statnot/juneeng.pdf
	
		
			  Number of animals 
			  Thousand 
			   2004( 1)  2005  2006 
			  (a) Total cattle 5,679 5,527 5,378 
			  (b) Total pigs 4,234 3,959 4,057 
			  (c) Total sheep 15,873 15,877 15,673 
			 (1) Pre single payment scheme  Source: June Agricultural Survey

Single Farm Payments

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many  (a) extra payments and  (b) refunds have been made as a result of adjustments to 2005 Single Payment Scheme claims; and what the total value of each category was;
	(2)  what proportion of 2005 single payment scheme claims have been adjusted; and what proportion are under review.

Barry Gardiner: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 22 February 2007,  Official Report, column 59WS. The priority has been to correct claims where it has been determined an extra payment is required. So far approximately 3,100 extra payments with a value of over £2,865,000 have been processed and approximately 700 overpayments with a value of £1,185,000 have been identified for recovery.

Waste Management

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government plans to publish its waste strategy.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government are planning to publish their waste strategy for England in May.

Departments: Advertising

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what her Department's total spending was on advertising and promotional campaigns in each year since 1997; and what the cost of each campaign was, broken down by costs relating to  (a) television,  (b) radio and  (c) print media.

Hilary Armstrong: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the then Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Jim Murphy), to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) on 27 February 2006,  Official Report, columns 39-40W and to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. McFadden) to the Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Mr. Hayes) on 11 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 1822-23W.

Burma: Sequestration of Assets

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will freeze the UK assets of  (a) the government and  (b) state-owned enterprises of Burma; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: The assets of senior members of the Burmese Government and those who benefit from their policies, as listed in Annex I to the EU Common Position on Burma, are already frozen. The Common Position also bans investment in the named state-owned enterprises listed in Annex II.
	We believe that the present EU Common Position on Burma is the best achievable policy, given the range of views amongst our partners. Any additional measures would need the support of all other EU member states as the Common Position can only be amended by consensus. We do not believe that there would be consensus to strengthen the Common Position. A copy of the EU Common Position on Burma is available in the Library of the House.

Corruption

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the UK's compliance with obligations to tackle corruption under Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development agreements.

Ian McCartney: The UK's progress report on our implementation of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Bribery Convention, following up on the recommendations contained in the OECD's "phase two review" of March 2005, was one of the items discussed at the Working Group on Bribery plenary meeting of 12-14 March. During a debate in the House on 7 February my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Dr. Howells) undertook to publish this report after the meeting,  Official Report, column 908. This has been done and copies of the report are available in the Library of the House.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: The security situation in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains fragile, particularly in the Kivus, Ituri and northern Katanga. Bas-Congo and Kinshasa are calm, but tensions there between Government forces and other groups remain.
	Ill-disciplined and poorly-paid Congolese armed forces present the greatest threat to civilians in some areas. Congolese and foreign militias also abuse local populations in eastern DRC. We continue to push for improved security sector reform and military training, to ensure that the Congolese army protects the population. We continue to encourage the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC to take robust action against armed groups that threaten civilians.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Gloucestershire

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders were issued by each division of Gloucestershire constabulary in each of the last five years; and how many of them were breached in each year.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 14 March 2007
	Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) are issued by the courts. The number of ASBOs issued at all courts in Gloucestershire, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, and the number proven in court to have been breached, up to 31 December 2005 (latest available) is in the table.
	
		
			  Number of antisocial behaviour orders issued in each year at ail courts in the Gloucestershire Criminal Justice System (CJS) area and the number that were proven in court to have been breached in each year, for orders issued between 1 January 2001 and  31 December 2005 (latest available) 
			   ASBOs issued in year  ASBOs breached in year( 1, 2) 
			 2001 2 1 
			 2002 1 1 
			 2003 7 5 
			 2004 26 13 
			 2005 30 37 
			 (1) ASBOs may be issued in one area and breached in another. In this table breaches of ASBOs issued in Gloucestershire are counted irrespective of the area in which the breach occurred.  (2) An ASBO can be issued in one year and breached in another.   Notes:  1. It is possible for an individual to breach their ASBO in more than one year, so persons may be counted more than once in this table.  2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.   Source:  (Issued): As reported to the Home Office by the Court Service. (Breached): OCJR Court Proceedings Database.

Electronic Tagging

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were subject to electronic monitoring whilst on bail in each of the last two years; and how many of these people were charged with violent crimes.

John Reid: The following table sets out the number of separate occasions on which courts imposed an electronically monitored curfew requirement as a condition of bail in each of the last two financial years in England and Wales. The figures have been provided by the two electronic monitoring suppliers G4S and SERCO.
	
		
			  Total number of times courts imposed a curfew with electronic monitoring as a bail condition 
			  Financial year  Number 
			 2005-06 8,548 
			 2006-07 (to 31 January 2007) 14,104 
		
	
	Data on defendants subject to electronic monitoring while charged with violent crimes are not collected centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Women's Prisons: Per Capita Costs

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average daily cost was of keeping a prisoner in each women's prison in the latest period for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The average daily cost per prisoner for each female establishment in 2005-06, and the average cost for the whole female estate, is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Daily cost per prisoner for each female prison 
			  Establishment name  Daily cost per prisoner (£) 
			 Askham Grange 90.08 
			 Brockhill(1) 136.53 
			 Bronzefield 130.89 
			 Bullwood Hall(1) 146.71 
			 Cookham Wood 103.94 
			 Downview 102.33 
			 Drake Hall 79.68 
			 East Sutton Park 67.38 
			 Eastwood Park 103.88 
			 Foston Hall 103.02 
			 Holloway 145.91 
			 Low Newton 111.91 
			 Morton Hall 81.00 
			 New Hall 127.32 
			 Send 88.42 
			 Styal 99.89 
			 Female estate total 110.36 
			 (1) Brockhill and Bullwood Hall re-roled to male category C establishments in 2006-07 and no longer hold female prisoners.

English Language

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how much money was given to primary schools in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years to help children for whom English is not their first language;
	(2)  how much money was given to secondary schools in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years to help children for whom English is not their first language.

Maria Eagle: The Department of Education has provided earmarked funding for the provision of teaching and teaching support for English as an Additional Language (EAL), through the education and library boards in each financial year as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2002-03 200,000 
			 2003-04 400,000 
			 2004-05 410,000 
			 2005-06 570,000 
			 2006-07 834,000 
		
	
	These figures are not available by allocation to primary and post-primary schools.
	In addition, since 2005-06 schools have received additional funding within the delegated budget shares distributed under the common funding formula for all pupils, identified within the schools annual statistical return as requiring additional support for English as an Additional Language.
	Allocations for primary and secondary schools were as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Primary  Secondary 
			 2005-06 1,106,000 531,000 
			 2006-07 1,691,000 783,000 
			 2007-08 2,462,000 1,035,000

Prisons: Drugs

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding was allocated to drugs treatment for prisoners in Northern Ireland in each of the past six years; and how many prisoners received drugs treatment in each Northern Ireland prison over the same period.

Paul Goggins: The information is not available in the form requested. It is not possible to differentiate between resources allocated and prisoners participating in programmes for drugs or alcohol misuse. The Prison Service has contracts with three community voluntary support groups to provide counselling services to prisoners who have abused substances.
	Information about the financial support given to the groups is only available for the past five years as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
			 2002-03 294 
			 2003-04 379 
			 2004-05 472 
			 2005-06 551 
			 2006-07 to February 386 
			 Total 2,082 
		
	
	The number of prisoners facilitated is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2002-03 (1)914 
			 2003-04 (1)— 
			 2004-05 443 
			 2005-06 496 
			 2006-07 to February 466 
			 Total 2,319 
		
	
	The NT Prison Service also has a policy of continuing community substitution programmes when a prisoner is committed to prison; this has been in place since September 2004. This aspect cannot be accurately costed as much depends on the drug and dosage used and the length of time that the individual is kept on the programme—some will still be on it when discharged. The number of prisoners involved is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004 14 
			 2005 19 
			 2006 23 
			 2007 to February 5 
			 Total 61 
		
	
	In addition, the Prison Service has a detailed detoxification protocol which sets out recommendations for treatment and support to prisoners who allege that they are addicted to drugs or alcohol but who are not participating in a community substitution programme. It is not possible to put a cost against such treatments or identify the number of prisoners treated.

Council Houses

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many council houses are owned by  (a) local authorities and  (b) housing associations in each London borough; and how many additional houses have been provided by (i) local authorities and (ii) housing associations in each of the last 10 years.

Yvette Cooper: Information on the stock of social rent housing by local authority area can be found on the Communities and Local Government website:
	 Registered social landlords
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/21/Table115_id1156021.xls
	 Local authorities
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/22/Table116_id1156022.xls
	The numbers of social rent housing units built or acquired in each London borough in each of the last 10 years are tabulated as follows. The majority of public sector investment for new social housing goes to housing associations as they can lever in around 40 per cent. independent borrowing and deliver more units than local authorities for a given amount of public subsidy. The Government are currently looking at ways for local authorities to play a greater role in building more homes.
	
		
			  Social rent housing units built or acquired by local authority area: London 
			   1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 City of London 0 67 0 28 132 76 88 0 48 178 
			 Barking and Dagenham 330 153 194 211 190 279 162 124 163 190 
			 Barnet 171 259 344 132 159 145 177 113 142 216 
			 Bexley 120 154 158 145 46 33 143 48 31 46 
			 Brent 297 267 208 217 310 415 196 225 158 168 
			 Bromley 326 157 167 266 264 147 168 90 60 212 
			 Camden 436 284 183 323 158 164 126 81 188 72 
			 Croydon 484 456 369 338 251 398 264 82 156 184 
			 Ealing 76 173 208 166 137 119 120 122 171 188 
			 Enfield 279 109 208 133 249 437 303 238 281 236 
			 Greenwich 200 212 269 183 264 324 217 410 135 184 
			 Hackney 533 640 560 328 191 271 300 226 229 130 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 291 314 267 107 167 132 116 358 166 68 
			 Haringey 318 271 264 165 241 234 127 228 184 226 
			 Harrow 113 71 85 53 118 113 102 90 52 25 
			 Havering 143 64 58 57 19 183 36 28 69 6 
			 Hillingdon 455 237 397 240 305 237 118 128 84 74 
			 Hounslow 267 104 181 143 72 182 110 237 81 94 
			 Islington 382 225 211 135 166 111 183 261 187 253 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 405 269 141 225 93 114 121 178 25 79 
			 Kingston upon Thames 143 82 84 61 113 66 41 39 127 4 
			 Lambeth 294 220 199 217 190 166 215 206 173 288 
			 Lewisham 222 326 367 183 254 196 191 277 399 318 
			 Merton 229 212 119 187 76 103 75 55 108 101 
			 Newham 430 457 365 232 187 351 246 217 292 266 
			 Redbridge 111 197 89 167 151 258 159 90 179 92 
			 Richmond upon Thames 95 21 70 70 55 41 13 98 123 60 
			 Southwark 266 232 171 162 250 205 287 231 301 252 
			 Sutton 309 63 39 127 204 127 161 111 214 266 
			 Tower Hamlets 280 435 340 316 235 387 380 431 194 675 
			 Waltham Forest 235 322 338 180 321 239 232 182 104 133 
			 Wandsworth 189 72 83 121 60 49 61 49 98 9 
			 Westminster 818 185 216 226 456 307 172 120 215 280 
			 Total 9,247 7,310 6,952 5,844 6,084 6,609 5,410 5,373 5,137 5,573 
			  Note: Of the figures shown 303 units were provided by local authorities with the remainder provided by registered social landlords (RSLs). Includes RSL units with Housing Corporation funding and those funded solely through section 106 agreements.  Source: Housing Corporation, local authorities

Non-Domestic Rates

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average business rates bill in England was in each year since 1997-98.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by the Minister for Local Government (Mr. Woolas) of 13 March 2007,  Official Report, column 238W.

Social Rented Housing

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average length of stay was for tenants in  (a) local authority and  (b) registered social landlord accommodation in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001 and (iii) the last year for which figures are available.

Yvette Cooper: Reliable estimates of how long social housing tenants remain, on average, in the same accommodation are not available. However, estimates of the lengths of uncompleted residence based on the time that existing tenants have spent in their current accommodation are as follows:
	
		
			  Lengths of uncompleted residence (in years) reported by existing social housing tenants 
			  Number of years 
			   Council tenants  RSL tenants 
			   Mean  Median  Mean  Median 
			 1997-98 12.4 8.1 8.2 4.5 
			 2001-02 12.8 8.2 9.3 5.2 
			 2005-06 13.6 8.8 10.3 5.9 
			  Source: Survey of English Housing 
		
	
	It is important to note that since these figures are based on uncompleted lengths of tenure, they are likely to be significantly below the equivalent figures for completed lengths of tenure.

Social Rented Housing: Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of homes  (a) in the private sector,  (b) rented from local authorities and  (c) rented from registered social landlords fell below the decent homes standard in each year since its introduction.

Yvette Cooper: Since 1997 the Government have been committed to improving the condition of homes, especially in the social sector. The decent homes public service agreement was introduced in the 2000 Spending Review. The condition of the housing stock is monitored by the English House Condition Survey.
	
		
			   All non-decent  All LA non-decent  All RSL non-decent  All private sector non-decent 
			   Number dwellings (Thousand)  Percentage of stock  Number dwellings (Thousand)  Percentage of stock  Number dwellings (Thousand)  Percentage of stock  Number dwellings (Thousand)  Percentage of stock 
			 1996 9,099 44.7 1,869 53.9 448 47.6 6,781 42.6 
			 2001 7,063 33.3 1,174 41.8 472 33.2 5,416 31.9 
			 2003 6,717 31.3 975 39.7 467 28.8 5,275 30.3 
			 2004 6,312 29.2 816 34.9 437 26.2 5,060 28.7 
			 2005 5,987 27.5 729 33.7 433 23.8 4,825 27.1 
			  Source: English House Condition Survey

Accident and Emergency departments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many accident and emergency departments there are in each strategic health authority, broken down by type.

Andy Burnham: National health service trusts self-report the number of accident and emergency (A and E) services they provide against definitions provided by the Department. Trust information can then be grouped together to provide information for strategic health authorities.
	The information is shown in the following table and was the position at the end of December 2006.
	
		
			  Strategic health authority  Number of type one (major) A and E services  Number of type two (single specialty) A and E services  Number of type three (minor injury and illness, including minor injury units and walk-in centres) A and E services 
			 England 204 68 287 
			 North East 14 2 18 
			 North West 33 8 36 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 21 2 21 
			 East Midlands 12 5 20 
			 West Midlands 23 5 26 
			 East of England 19 4 23 
			 London 32 9 23 
			 South East Coast 16 23 29 
			 South Central 12 7 15 
			 South West 22 3 76 
			  Source: Department of Health dataset QMAE

Clostridium: Lancashire

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people contracted clostridium difficile from hospitals in Lancashire in each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: The information is not available as requested. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) receives reports from microbiology laboratories of cases of  Clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAO) under the mandatory surveillance scheme. All acute NHS trusts in England are obliged to report all cases of CDAD in patients aged 65 years and over.
	The infections included in the table may not all have been contracted in hospitals in Lancashire. This is because the protocol asks trusts to report all positive samples detected in their laboratories, including samples sent to that acute trust from community hospitals, primary care trust hospitals, general practitioners, nursing homes and other NHS-run health care facilities.
	Mandatory surveillance began in January 2004 and the figures for 2004 and 2005 are shown in the table and on the HPA's website at:
	www.hpa.ora.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/mandatory_report_2006.htm
	Quarterly publication of mandatory surveillance data for CDAO started on 30 January 2007 and data for January to September 2006 is available on the HPA website:
	http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/Mandatory_Results_Jan_2007.htm
	
		
			  Number of reported Clostridium difficile cases 
			  Trust  January 2004 to December 2004  January 2005 to December 2005 
			 Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre 352 389 
			 East Lancashire Hospitals 220 152 
			 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals 279 271 
			 Southport and Ormskirk Hospital 98 107 
			 University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay (Morecambe Bay Hospitals) 80 180 
			  Source:  HPA

Departments: Databases

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what databases are controlled by her Department and its agencies; and what percentage of the data in each database she estimates is inaccurate or out of date.

Caroline Flint: Information relating to the number of databases held electronically and controlled by the Department and its agencies is contained in the following table and is listed by:
	Department/agency name; and
	Number of databases controlled.
	
		
			  Databases controlled by Department of Health and its agencies 
			  Department/agency name  Number of databases controlled 
			 Department of Health 974 
			 Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency 47 
			 NHS Connecting for Health 150 
			 NHS Purchasing And Supply Agency 35 
		
	
	The accuracy and currency of the data contained in the Department and its agencies' databases varies according to the business requirement the database is designed to meet. Where the output from a database is intended for publication as a matter of public record (for example, as a report to Parliament or a press statement), every precaution is taken to ensure that that data within the database has been fully validated to ensure the highest achievable levels of accuracy. However, where the data contained is intrinsically dynamic and is not intended for public: record (for example, the Department's internal staff location database), a lower degree of accuracy and currency is acceptable to meet business needs.
	It is not possible to undertake an estimate for the accuracy and currency of the data contained in each database because of disproportionate cost.

Food: Advertising

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what criteria the Government will use to assess whether the change in the nature and balance of food advertising to children has altered enough to avoid legislation, as set out in the 2004 Choosing Health White Paper; and when she expects that assessment to be published;
	(2)  what data the Government holds on the change in the number of advertisements for foods high in fat, salt and sugar seen by children at all times of the day since 2003.

Caroline Flint: Following Choosing Health, the Government will be assessing whether the new measures introduced in broadcast and non-broadcast media have brought about a real change in the nature and balance of food promotion. An interim review will be conducted in autumn 2007, and we will work with Ofcom and our industry partners on a more detailed review in 2008. On that basis, the Government will decide whether further action, such as legislation, is required.
	The Department has commissioned Thompson Intermedia to collect and analyse impact and expenditure data across a broad range of media. This is an ongoing process and the information that we collect will be used to inform the interim review. We are keen to see what measures the food and drink and advertising sectors are taking on a voluntary basis to effect a change in the nature and balance of high fat, salt and sugar product advertising before, and in response to, the interim review. Drafting guidelines are attached to the PQ reference guide

Food: Hygiene

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her most recent estimate is of the  (a) one-off cost and  (b) recurring costs of implementing the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2005 to (i) businesses and (ii) the regulators.

Caroline Flint: The Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2005 were replaced from 11 January 2006 by the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006.
	The costs arising from the introduction of the European Union (U) food hygiene regulations on 1 January 2006, to which the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2005 gave effect, were detailed in a full Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA), a copy of which is available in the Library.
	Subsequent to the publication of the full RIA, it was agreed that enforcement of the EU regulations at farm level will be undertaken in England by local authorities, for which the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has made funds available. The funding arrangements are detailed in a draft RIA, which can be found on the FSA's website at:
	www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/farmhygieneria.pdf

Hospitals: Admissions

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were admitted to NHS hospitals for  (a) drug-related and  (b) alcohol-related illnesses and injuries in each strategic health authority area in each year between 2002 and 2006.

Caroline Flint: It is not possible to identify the exact number of patients admitted to national health service hospitals for alcohol and drug related illnesses. Illnesses can be caused by or can be affected by drug and/or alcohol misuse but we are not able to indicate this with all cases. Drug and alcohol misuse related illnesses are not defined within one specific hospital diagnosis code.
	National data from codes of primary diagnosis, which indicate the reason for a patient's admission to hospital is either drug or alcohol related are in the following tables.
	
		
			  Count of finished admission episodes where the primary diagnosis was alcohol related*, by strategic health authority of treatment, 2001-02 to 2005-06 NHS Hospitals, England 
			Finished admission episodes 
			  SHA Code  SHA Description  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 1,447 1,500 1,775 2,041 2,155 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 725 697 764 810 74 
			 Q03 Essex 739 776 873 1,078 1,151 
			 Q04 North West London 1,293 1,291 1,582 1,689 2,078 
			 Q05 North Central London 837 1,069 1,061 1,378 1,556 
			 Q06 North East London 1,090 1,122 1,334 1,471 1,586 
			 Q07 South East London 1,445 1,80 2,104 2,690 2.986 
			 Q08 South West London 867 922 1,112 1,296 1329 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 1,623 1,774 1,743 2,001 2,106 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley 845 1,087 1,459 1,510 1,441 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 1,381 1,183 1,351 1,320 1,397 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire 1,829 1,800 1,869 1,730 2,061 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire 1,474 2,163 2,112 2,339 2,360 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester 2,090 2,562 2,949 3,626 4,289 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside 4,021 4,117 4,472 4,564 5,068 
			 Q16 Thames Valley 1,116 1,107 1,206 1,416 1,431 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 925 1,432 1,470 1,664 1,733 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 701 889 939 1,178 1,245 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex 1,004 1,950 1,669 2,248 2,183 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 846 1,284 1,607 1,822 1,950 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula 1,303 1,392 1,585 1,597 1,607 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset 813 750 773 871 1,076 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire 1,061 1,213 1,391 1,566 1,502 
			 024 Trent 1,783 1,888 2,079 2,302 2,414 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 681 883 1,106 1,118 1,551 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire 938 1,237 1,445 f,511 1351 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country 2,002 2,363 2,566 2,779 2,965 
			 Q28 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire 882 1,322 1,295 1,566 1,533 
			 Y Not known 4,968 — — — — 
			  Total 40,729 41,610 45,811 51,203 55,353 
		
	
	
		
			  Count of finished admission episodes where the primary diagnosis was drug related**, by strategic health authority of treatment, 2001-02 to 2005-06 NHS Hospitals, England 
			Finished admission episodes 
			  SHA Code  SHA Description  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 3,932 3,709 4,375 4,020 4.664 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 1,139 1,115 1,226 1,594 1,663 
			 Q03 Essex 1,289 1,277 1,606 2,100 2,241 
			 Q04 North West London 1,214 1,354 1,894 2,014 2,728 
			 Q05 North Central London 1,264 1,288 1,404 2,098 2,537 
			 Q06 North East London 1,705 1,970 2,535 2,345 2,833 
			 Q07 South East London 1,834 2,151 2,844 3,085 3,217 
			 Q08 South West London 1,201 1,277 1,478 2,219 2,327 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 4,395 4,209 4,021 4,310 4,875 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley 2,520 3,564 3,511 3,840 4,165 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 3,765 3,521 3,413 3,317 3,521 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire 5,939 5,901 6,078 6,052 6,801 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire 3,710 4,518 4,377 4,308 4,757 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester 3,339 4,237 5,904 7,387 8,614 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside 5,515 5,347 6,221 6,252 7,154 
			 Q16 Thames Valley 3,057 2,858 3,371 3,646 3,540 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 3,698 3,692 3,678 3,633 4,234 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 1,640 1,774 2,382 2,804 3,475 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex 1,752 2,911 3,404 3,920 4,992 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 2,273 3,064 3,847 5,349 5,995 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula 2,974 2,856 3,683 3,742 4,200 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset 1,783 1,563 1,550 1,872 2,249 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire 2,923 2,680 2,572 2,569 2,743 
			 Q24 Trent 5,285 4,799 4,850 5,243 5,274 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 1,812 1,674 2,159 2,620 3,703 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire 2,539 2,534 2,918 2,723 2,780 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country 4,651 5,478 5,934 5,875 6,504 
			 Q28 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire 2,468 2,403 2,516 2,933 3,748 
			 Y Not known 8,620 — — — — 
			  Total 88,286 83,704 93,751 101,928 115,534 
			  Notes:  Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number  of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  Diagnosis (Primary Diagnosis) The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (7 prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.  Ungrossed Data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  Data Quality Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. **Codes used as advised by data standards for drug related conditions, Connecting for Health: The ICD-10 code categories for mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use (including acute intoxication or abuse) are as follows:  Source: Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES)f The Information Centre Health and Social Care F11.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of opioids F12.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cannabinoids F13.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of sedatives or hypnotics F14.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cocaine F15.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of other stimulants, including caffeine F16.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of hallucinogens F17.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco F18.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of volatile solvents F19.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to multiple drug use and use of other psychoactive substances The ICD-10 code categories for poisoning (either self-inflicted or accidental) are as follows: T36.- Poisoning by systemic antibodies T37.- Poisoning by other systemic anti-infectives and antiparasitics T38.- Poisoning by hormones and their synthetic substitutes and antagonists, not elsewhere classified T39.- Poisoning by nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and anorheumatics T40.- Poisoning by narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens] T41.- Poisoning by anaesthetics and therapeutic gases T42.- Poisoning by antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic and antiparkinsonism drugs T43.- Poisoning by psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified T44.- Poisoning by drugs primarily affecting the autonomic nervous system T45.- Poisoning by primarily systemic and haematological agents, not elsewhere classified T46.- Poisoning by agents primarily affecting the cardiovascular system T47.- Poisoning by agents primarily affecting the gastrointestinal system T48.- Poisoning by agents primarily acting on smooth and skeletal muscles and the respiratory system T49.- Poisoning by topical agents primarily affecting skin and mucous membrane and by ophthalmotogical, otorhinolaryngological and dental drugs T50.- Poisoning by diuretics and other and unspecified drugs, medicaments and biological substances *Codes used as advised by data standards for alcohol related conditions, Connecting for Health: F10 - Mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol K70 - Alcoholic Live Disease T51 - Toxic Effect of Alcohol

Hyperactivity: Drugs

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were issued in each year since 1997-98.

Caroline Flint: We do not hold data on the total number of prescriptions for drugs used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Information on the number of prescription items relating to drugs mainly associated with the treatment of ADHD and dispensed in the community in England is in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of prescription items (000) 
			 1997-98 197.6 
			 1998-99 227.5 
			 1999-2000 255.1 
			 2000-01 264.4 
			 2001-02 286.1 
			 2002-03 340.0 
			 2003-04 395.6 
			 2004-05 444.2 
			 2005-06 502.0 
			  Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system

MRSA

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library information she has on the incidence rates of MRSA in other  (a) EU and  (b) World Health Organisation member states; and what comparative assessment she has made of rates in those countries and in the UK.

Caroline Flint: The best European data are from the European antimicrobial resistance surveillance system (EARSS) database. This provides information only as a proportion of  Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections that are resistant to meticillin.
	A copy of the 2005 EARSS annual report has been placed in the Library and is available at:
	www.rivm.nl/earss/Images/EARSS%202005_tcm61-34899.pdf
	It is difficult to compare different European countries as health services and surveillance systems differ. There is no overall trend but increases have been seen in some member states. However, our figures show that we need to reduce meticillin resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cases and tackling MRSA and other healthcare associated infections (HCAIs), continues to be a priority. We have introduced a number of interventions to help the national health service. Between April 2003 and March 2004 and October 2005 to September 2006, there has been a 10.2 per cent. reduction in the 12-month rolling total. This shows that our actions are having a significant effect.
	The World Health Organization does not compile information on MRSA.

MRSA: Lancashire

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people contracted MRSA in hospitals in Lancashire in each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: The information is not available as requested
	The best available information is from the mandatory methicillin resistant  Staphytococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections surveillance that began in April 2001 and covers acute trusts in England.
	The number of reported MRSA blood stream infections for national health service acute trusts within Lancashire is shown in the following table. The surveillance protocol requires all trusts to report MRSA positive blood cultures detected in their laboratories, whether acquired in the trust or elsewhere and these should include samples sent to the trust from other NHS run healthcare facilities. The cases recorded in the tables may not therefore have all been contracted in hospitals in Lancashire.
	
		
			  Number of reported blood stream infections (bacteraemias) 
			  Trust  April 2001-March 2002  April 2002-March 2003  April 2003-March 2004  April 2004-March 2005  April 2005-March 2006 
			 Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre 44 40 64 62 55 
			 East Lancashire Hospitals 57 66 63 69 53 
			 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals 76 58 56 74 54 
			 Southport and Ormskirk Hospital 4 11 10 13 14 
			 University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay 33 24 30 30 33 
			  Source: Health Protection Agency

Multiple Sclerosis: AIDS

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her Department's budget was for research into  (a) multiple sclerosis and  (b) AIDS in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Expenditure on multiple sclerosis research 
			  £ million 
			   Department  Medical Research Council 
			 1997-98 0.04 n/a 
			 1998-99 0.6 n/a 
			 1999-2000 0.5 n/a 
			 2000-01 0.5 1.5 
			 2001-02 0.6 2.1 
			 2002-03 0.1 1.8 
			 2003-04 0.1 1.1 
			 2004-05 0.1 1.4 
			 2005-06 0.8 n/a 
			 n/a = not available 
		
	
	
		
			  Expenditure on HIV/AIDS research 
			  £ million 
			   Department  Medical Research Council 
			 1997-98 1.1 n/a 
			 1998-99 1 n/a 
			 1999-2000 1 13 
			 2000-01 1.3 15 
			 2001-02 0.8 14 
			 2002-03 1 11 
			 2003-04 1 11 
			 2004-05 1 11 
			 2005-06 1 n/a 
			 n/a = not available 
		
	
	The departmental figures relate to national research programme expenditure. They do not include expenditure in the areas of human health concerned from the research and development allocations made annually to national health service providers. That information is not held centrally.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support biomedical research. The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Innovation.

NHS: Drugs

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many medicines were reclassified from prescription-only status to over-the-counter status in each year since 2002-03; and whether it remains her policy to aim for 10 such reclassifications to take place in any given year.

Caroline Flint: The NHS pan committed the Government to making more medicines available over-the-counter, where it is safe to do so. In response, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) implemented a new streamlined reclassification procedure in April 2002 and took forward an agenda on switching to encompass not just acute, short term, self limiting conditions but to new areas of chronic disease management.
	Over-the-counter medicines include both those supplied by a pharmacist and those on general sale (GSL) available through outlets such as supermarkets. The number of marketing authorisations where the legal status has been changed from POM (prescription-only medicine) to pharmacy or from pharmacy to GSL for each complete year since 2002-03 is presented in the following table. It is noted there may be more than one new switch application for the same substance. Also many applications follow on from the initial change of legal status of the medicine.
	
		
			   POM to pharmacy  Pharmacy toGSL  Total 
			 2002-03 2 7 9 
			 2003-04 5 12 17 
			 2004-05 2 9 11 
			 2005-06 3 6 9 
		
	
	Recent significant switches into new therapeutic areas include the first statin (simvastatin) to reduce risk of heart disease, a triptan (sumatriptan) for migraine, and an eye drop treatment (chloramphenicol) for infection. A consultation to extend reclassification to the eye ointment has also completed, and there is progress with new consultations into further therapeutic areas.
	In February 2007, the MHRA led an important initiative to move forward the debate on widening access to medicines for women's health. A seminar supported by stakeholders and experts in the field of women's health explored the benefits and challenges associated with switches in this area. An important consultation on the reclassification of tranexamic acid for treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding was announced at this meeting.
	It remains Government policy to promote widening the availability of medicines within the patient choice agenda, recognising the challenges ahead with moves into new areas, and the aim for such classifications to take place each year is reflected within the MHRA business plan.

NHS: Negligence

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many claims for clinical negligence there were against the NHS in each year since 1995; and what percentage of these claims were successful in each year;
	(2)  what the total cost to the NHS was of successful claims for clinical negligence in each year since 1995-96 in  (a) nominal and  (b) real terms.

Andy Burnham: The following table shows how many claims there have been under the clinical negligence scheme for trusts (CNST) in each year since 1995, what percentage were successful , and the amounts paid out to date in nominal and real terms. The year is based upon the year that the incident was reported to have occurred.
	
		
			  Number of CNST claims received (including Category A( 1)  claims) by incident year as at February 2007 
			  Incident year( 2)  Yet to settle  Settle— nil damages  Settled with damages  Total  Percentage successful claims of all claims  Total paid on successful claims  Total paid on successful claims in real terms with 2005-06 as reference year( 3) 
			 1995-96 189 3,513 2,354 6,056 38.87 303,925,180 390,137,840 
			 1996-97 196 3,315 2,447 5,958 41.07 290,583,088 360,865,194 
			 1997-98 222 3,367 2,510 6,099 41.15 269,576,245 325,315,866 
			 1998-99 273 3,269 2,654 6,196 42.83 282,962,080 333,006,260 
			 1999-2000 268 2,806 2,548 5,622 45.32 239,956,313 276,798,146 
			 2000-01 362 2,619 2,534 5,515 45.95 195,415,698 222,293,164 
			 2001-02 543 2,234 2,292 5,069 45.22 152,868,563 169,861,508 
			 2002-03 1,163 1,996 2,061 5,220 39.48 80,105,894 86,339,614 
			 2003-04 1,843 1,413. 1,335 4,591 29.08 31,442,285 32,910,418 
			 2004-05 1,405 895 746 3,046 24.49 12,249,695 12,478,171 
			 2005-06 1,139 334 348 1,821 19.11 2,466,565 2,466,565 
			 2006-07 297 22 33 352 9.38 120,580 117,429 
			 Total 7,900 25,783 21,862 55,545 39.36 1,861,672,185 2,212,590,175 
			 (1) Category A claims are those that fell within the excess claim limit and were handled by individual trusts before the excess was removed in 2002. (2) Claims have been considered in the year that the incident occurred Additional points to note: Claims may still be made for incidents that have yet to be reported within the stated years. Successful claims are those claims that have been settled with damages, including claims which are still open due to legal costs being unresolved or where periodic payments are being made. This means that the costs for those claims will rise over time and therefore the figure will increase. Category A claims were handled by individual trusts and reported to the NHS Litigation Authority. Therefore, the NHS Litigation Authority cannot 100 per cent. validate the accuracy of the data around these claims as the data were not: produced by the NHS Litigation Authority. (3) Real terms calculated using the deflator series provided by HMT on 21 December 2006.

Obesity: Lancashire

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children in Lancashire under the age of 12 years were classified as  (a) obese and  (b) overweight in each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: The information is not available in the format requested. Data on obesity and overweight prevalence by Government office region (GOR) are available from the Health Survey for England (HSE). However, due to small sample sizes in each year, data cannot be provided for each of the last five years. The most recent available information which can be provided by GOR combines information from the 2002, 2003 and 2004 HSE to achieve a sufficiently large sample for analysis at this level.
	
		
			  Prevalence of overweight and obesity among children in the North West Government office region (GOR), by age, 2002-04 
			  Percentage/number 
			   Overweight including obese  Obese 
			 Aged 2-10 27.2 14.4 
			 Aged 11-15 35.6 20.8 
			 Aged 2-15 30.4 16.8 
			
			  Bases (unweighted)   
			 Aged 2-10 891 891 
			 Aged 11-15 584 584 
			 Aged 2-15 1,475 1,475 
			
			  Bases (weighted for selection only)   
			 Aged 2-10 1,021 1,021 
			 Aged 11-15 634 634 
			 Aged 2-15 1,655 1,655 
			 1. Data are aggregated over the three years, 2002, 2003 and 2004 to achieve a sufficiently large sample for analyse at this level. 2. Unweighted figures are raw unadjusted figures. 3. Weighted figures are adjusted for child selection only and not non-response.  Sources: Health Survey for England 2002. The Department of Health Health Survey for England 2003. The Department of Health Health Survey for England 2004. The Information Centre